


Of The Wolves - A Skyrim Romance Fanfiction

by TheOneUntitled



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon Breaking AF, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Romance, Skyrim Romance Mod
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 10:36:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 49
Words: 257,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17201909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOneUntitled/pseuds/TheOneUntitled
Summary: Wyllin Springlock is a young and wild Bosmeri archeress hailing from Valenwood. Five years before the beginning of this story, she left her homelands and started wandering Tamriel, with her road eventually leading her to Skyrim.From there, she quickly found herself at home with the Companions, and later on realized her true calling as Skyrim's very own Dragonborn. A few months following this discovery, she crossed paths with a certain Ranger in the forests near Riverwood one night. His blunt and cocky nature is enough to catch the ire of most, but Wyllin eventually finds that his brutal honesty with her is something she's sorely lacked since becoming the ancient Nordic hero of old.A very special thank you to Mara for the creation of the wonderful Skyrim Romance mod, which this story is primarily based around!Also, Wyllin's primary spells are based off the Druid spells from Forgotten Magic.





	1. A Chance Encounter

The sun was setting, painting the sky in purplish hues, which was just barely visible from the forest floor. As it did, a small wood elf stalked her prey with an arrow readied in her bow. Green eyes scanned the area for traces of the deer she'd been trailing. Damnit. Where had its tracks gone? Had she gone the wrong way? Wyllin quietly cursed herself out for losing visual on her target, even if the waning sunlight could've excused it. Then a noise that came from off to her side caught her attention. Something was there in the shadows. The deer? She slipped behind a tree and peered out, taking aim as she did so. She took note of a dark mass that moved through the trees just beyond, and then fired at it.

Big mistake.

Whatever - or, well,  _whoever_ \- it was cursed loudly. That wasn't a deer. That wasn't an animal whatsoever. She quickly lowered her bow and hid again.

"Who was that?" The stranger called out. "Where the hell are you? Come out here so I can run my blade across your throat!"

The Bosmer dug her fingernails into the tree's bark. Part of her wanted to just run. She was silent and quick enough to escape into the oncoming darkness. His only knowledge of her being there would've been the arrow she planted into him. That, however, sat very wrong with her in the pit of her stomach. She knew it would have been against her nature. She injured an innocent. Still, he was bound to attack on sight. She needed to go about the situation carefully. The trees seemed to be her best bet. The height would at least keep a blade away from her. She scaled the one she was hiding behind as quietly as she could until she reached a high enough branch. From there, she could see the person she'd mistaken for her quarry.

He was a tall Nord dressed in dark armor. His hair was a brown, disheveled mess, which looked like it hadn't been properly combed since the previous era. The arrow had lodged itself into his arm, which he was clutching. Crimson red stained the pale skin of his fingers. He was looking around, trying to make his attacker out from the shadows that'd settled into the forest, with obviously no luck.

Finally, the elf chose to speak up. "I meant no harm. It was a mistake." His eyes immediately made contact with hers. Their amber hue reflected in the dim light and that, mixed with the vicious look he gave, sent chills down her spine. It was enough to make weaker mer piss themselves. She managed to pull through, however.

He growled. "A mistake? How the  _fuck_ was this a mistake?"

"I was tracking an animal and didn't know that anyone else was in the forest. I shot without thinking." It didn't exactly help that he was wearing dark armor, which obscured him even more than the already dim lighting had. "Hang on, I'm going to come down. Just... Keep your weapons away from me."  _Or the next one would be more purposeful._  She chose to leave that last part out. The last thing she wanted to do was threaten an already pissed off Nord. If prior experiences were anything to go off of, that was never a good idea.

He watched as she quickly descended to the ground again. Then she stepped closer to him. Her hands were held up to show that she was approaching without a weapon drawn, which was hopefully enough to convince him to not attack her the moment she got into swinging range.

As she cautiously approached, he took the time to look her over. She was a Bosmer. Her hair was a mess of strawberry blonde and her eyes were a piercing green. Her stature was smaller than a good amount of the wood elves he'd met before, at least by a few inches. Upon her getting closer, he could barely make out the freckles that dusted her face as well.

"I'm sorry. Please, let me help. It's the least I can do." Tanned hands reached out towards him, and a frown formed on her face as he quickly pulled back.

"I think you've done enough. I can take care of this on my own."

"I have Restoration magic. This will only take a sec-"

"Keep your hands  _off_  of me." The threatening tone in his voice had her stepping back. "Just... Get out of here if you want to stay alive."

Her hands fell to her sides, and then balled into fists. She took a deep breath, and then exhaled. "Very well. Have it your way. Don't blame me if some wolf comes out of nowhere and takes advantage of your state."

"I think I can handle myself, princess. Just run along and get back to your hunting."

'Princess'? That had her glaring at him for a few seconds, but she eventually turned around and headed off. He watched as she disappeared into the night as quickly as she came. He couldn't help but stare in her direction for a while, even after she was gone. Then he grumbled a few obscenities under his breath and got to work on patching up his arm.

* * *

It'd been a few days since Bishop's encounter with the Bosmer in the forest. He'd never admit it to anyone, but she'd been occupying his thoughts. He blamed the injury on his arm for being a constant reminder. At that point in time, he just decided to ignore it and let the memory fade as the wound did. He had better things to be worrying about then anyway, which was why he was currently standing outside of the door of the Sleeping Giant.

"Oye oye! Look at this fine lass!" One of the drunkards by the Sleeping Giant called out. "What a beauty, but she's looking parched! I might offer to buy her a drink."

His friend chuckled. "Not if I get to her first. You always go after the pretty women and leave the beasts for the rest of us!"

The Ranger's eyes drifted over to those idiots' newest object of affection, and then widened the moment he caught sight of her. There wasn't a chance in hell that he could mistake her for anyone else. Even in the dim light of the forest, he could clearly make out her unique features. The odd eye coloration and ass-length hair were definitely dead giveaway. For the love of the Gods,  _why_ did she have to show her face? Well, as petty as it might've been, he wasn't just about to let her pass by without some form of confrontation. She seemed distracted enough to not watch where she was going, and he took advantage of that. He moved more in front of her, and she immediately collided with his chest.

The elf staggered back and landed on the boards of the inn's porch, releasing a string of swears along the way. She rubbed her nose and then looked up. All it took was her looking into his piercing eyes to realize who she'd run into. It was that Nord from the forest.  _"You."_

He crossed his arms over his chest and spoke as she got back to her feet. "Well, isn't it a small fucking world? I never thought I'd see your face around ever again. Figured you would've lodged one of those arrows of yours into the wrong person by now."

She matched his pose once she stood back up. The words had her staring daggers at him. "I already told you that it was a mistake, and I apologized,  _and_ I offered to help. Maybe if you weren't wearing nothing but black, I would've noticed what I was firing at more."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I don't need your sympathy or your magic."

"And I don't need to deal with your bullshit. Now, would you mind getting out of the way? You're blocking my path."

"Oh, sure, I can." He then glanced to the drunkards, who were snickering as they watched the two argue. "I do have a question before you go in, however."

"What?"

"Are you so used to comments like the ones those two make that you just turn your nose up at all of them like some damn noble?"

She looked back to where he was gesturing, and then realized who he was talking about. Actually, she hadn't even  _noticed_ the drunks whatsoever. There were already enough things on her mind as it was. She turned back to the Nord. "I'm sorry  _princess._ Did you want someone to pay attention to you too? Must be the case, considering you literally stepped out in front of me." Yeah, she still hadn't forgotten what he called her back in the forest. Something about that nickname rubbed her the wrong way.

"What? Princess?!" He laughed. "Those two only  _wish_ they could work up even half the courage they'd need to whistle at me. As for attention? I'll be fine. I just find amusement in foiling their plans. They've been harassing every pair of legs that have walked this way for days. Fuck, I think they got so drunk last night that they wolf whistled the blacksmith!"

"You've been out here for days? Don't you have anything else to be doing than holding up this wall?"

"No, I was recently hired to be the inn's new doorpost!" He rolled his eyes. "I have to admit though, you're the first they've been right to admire. Anyway, give 'em a wide berth."

She squinted at him. "Maybe you should give  _me_ a wide berth."

"You know, I was just about to leave, but now I kinda feel the need to bother you more!"

"Do it and you'll regret it. I just want drinks and a damned place to rest my head."

"Actually, I think you owe me this, considering what happened back in the forest."

"I already offered my help. You turned it down. I don't owe you a damn thing. Now, step aside before you see what my  _blades_ are able to do as well." She patted the dagger that was sheathed at her hip. Another was also strapped to the thigh on her other side.

Apparently, the Nord had brains and stepped off to the side. "Can I at least get a name?"

"Not a damn chance," She said before entering the inn, leaving him to whatever the hell he was doing outside. After she'd taken a seat at the bar, she struck up a conversation with Orgnar as he grabbed her usual drink. Delphine had been gone for the past few days, which had the bartender on edge, even if he didn't show it.

The elf had a meal and a couple of drinks in peace as the bard's music filled the otherwise quiet inn. She was nursing at her third mug when she heard the sound of someone shuffling towards the bar. They took a seat next to her. She looked over, and then groaned when she realized who it was. "Don't you have anything better to be doing than harassing me? Like, you know, holding up that wall or something? I'm trying to enjoy a peaceful night, for once."

"Maybe I'm just here to turn that 'peaceful night' into something more memorable." His comment and smirk had her clenching her fists.

Starting a physical fight wasn't on her agenda for the evening, however. She calmed herself a little, and then looked the Nord up and down. "Memorable, you say? For some reason, I don't think you could give a lady anything even remotely  _close_  to a 'memorable night'."

"Care to let me prove you wrong?"

"I'm not interested in the slightest."

"Your loss." He shrugged.

"So, are we done?"

He sighed. "I actually came here to ask you about something." She was about to speak, but he raised his hand to silence her. She reluctantly allowed him to continue. "Listen, you're probably the most competent person I've seen make their way through this town since I got here, and I have a problem. The morning before we met, I'd lost my wolf during a hunting trip. We got separated and I've been searching for him ever since. I managed to find out information about a group of bandits holding pit fights, and tracked them to a place nearby. So, I'm off to shut them down before anything happens to him."

"And where do I come in?"

"Well, I know there's going to be more than a few bandits there. Decent help is hard to come by, and you seem like a good enough shot with a bow. I wouldn't mind if you came along." He then eyed her over. "I could certainly do worse for company."

She did her best to ignore the look in his eyes. "So you want me to help you track down your wolf? I hope you're not expecting something for nothing. As I said before, I don't  _owe_  you anything."

"I'm not looking to hire you, if that's what you mean. I suppose I could offer my services though. I'm something of a Ranger in these parts. Maybe you could have use of my tracking skills?"

"A Ranger, hmm? So I guess that bow on your back isn't for show." The frown he responded with had her smirking. "Maybe I could make use of you then. A lot of things have been going on for me recently. It'd be nice to have another hand outside of the Companions for once."

"The Companions?"

"Oh! Yeah, I'm a part of them."

"You're a member of that guild in Whiterun? The one with all those people who sit around in a mead hall and preach about honor and comradery?" She really didn't like the tone he was using.

"If you want my help, I'd suggest refraining from speaking of them that way."

"Alright, alright. Fine. So, will you help me or not?"

"I guess I can help the Ranger get his pet dog back, sure."

"Pet? Woah now, ladyship. Karnwyr is  _not_ a pet. He's a wolf, and the closest thing I have to family."

"Your only family is a wolf? Explains a lot, actually." His exasperated sigh at that statement had her amused. "Alright then, we'll get your  _wolf_ back, in the morning."

"Sounds good then. So, might I be able to get that name now, sweetness?"

"If it'll keep you from calling me things like 'sweetness', then sure. I'm Wyllin Springlock."

"Wyllin..." He repeated. "That sounds familiar to me."

"The Companions?"

"No, I don't keep up with them."

"Oh?" She shrugged. "Must be one of those names, then." She wasn't about to blatantly state the reasoning for that. He had no reason to know of her title at that point in time. Luckily, he at least didn't seem like the type to drop to his knees and kiss her boots if he ever were to find out. "So, who might the 'gentleman' before me be?"

He caught onto her sarcasm when she referred to him as a 'gentleman'. Luckily, he didn't exactly give a shit. "Bishop."

"Well, that definitely  _doesn't_ sound familiar to me." She chuckled as he just shook his head. Then her attention turned towards the bartender, who was busying himself with cleaning mugs. "Hey, Orgnar! My friend Bishop here says my order's on his tab!"

"Sure thing, Wyllin," Orgnar responded, not looking up from what he was doing.

The Ranger immediately shot a glare towards the elf. "That wasn't something we agreed upon."

"Well, you're agreeing to it now. If you're going to ask a lady to help you retrieve your wolf from a bunch of bandits, the least you could do is cover her meal and drinks for the night."

"Alright, fine, but don't think you can go ordering me around all the time."

"Ditto." She downed the rest of her ale and then sat the empty cup on the bartop. "Speaking of rooms though, I'm heading to sleep. Don't worry,  _I'll_ pay for this. We'll head out first thing tomorrow." She then stood up. "Sleep tight, Ranger."

"You too, ladyship." He watched as she paid for her room and then headed off to it. Admittedly, he was mostly paying attention to the sway of her hips as she walked. Their little journey was going to be interesting. That was for certain.


	2. Brother Wolves

Bishop woke up and crawled out of bed, yawning and stretching once he was on his feet. He got his gear on and then made his way out to the tavern area. Wyllin had already woken up, apparently. She sat at one of the tables, sipping at a mug of something. Her mind must've been elsewhere, given the fact she nearly jumped out of her skin when he sat down beside her.

"By the Gods!" She gasped, and then glared at him. "You nearly made me spill my tea."

"Jumpy, are we?" He snickered.

The elf rolled her eyes. "So, where are we off to in order to rescue your pet?"

"Karnwyr is a  _wolf,_ " He corrected.

"Whatever! Just tell me where these bandits are."

"Eastmarch. They're hiding out in a place the locals there call Cragslane Cavern."

She raised an eyebrow. "Eastmarch, hmm? I was actually going to be heading that way at some point as well."

"So this is going to actually be benefiting you? Good. You can help me with getting Karnwyr back from those bandit bastards, then I'll help you with whatever you have to do. Then we can part ways as unlikely friends."

"Sounds like a plan."

"What exactly do you need to be taking care of there, anyway? Figured that would be nice to know since you'll be bringing me along?"

"Companions business. There's been talk of some type of... Beast not too far from the residence of the person who reached out to us."

He gave her a curious expression. "The only thing they could tell you about it is that it's 'some type of beast'?"

"These are simple civilians, Bishop. They can get spooked by a slightly overgrown skeever. I'm not expecting them to have all the details on it. All they said is that they could hear it roaring. Not a sabre cat-type roar either." She had a bad feeling that she knew what the beast would be, but that wouldn't stop her from going.

"Trolls maybe?"

"Maybe. Regardless, I'm at least going to check it out. Having you along negates the potential of needing to bother the other Companions with it as well if it turns out to be something I can't handle alone. You seem like you'd make a good meat shield." She smirked and then took a sip of her tea.

He groaned and shook his head. "Very funny. I'll have you know that I prefer to stand back and use my bow instead of charging mindlessly at enemies."

"I suppose you have good reason for that. Wouldn't want anyone to mess up that pretty face of yours."

"So, you've noticed my good looks?"

"Of course. I have eyes." She then sighed and rested her cheek in her palm. "Now, if only your personality was just as charming. Then maybe you would've stood a chance with me."

"I've fared just fine with the ladies without having to resort to faking kindness when its not deserved. Maybe you'll come around eventually."

"Hmm, doubt it. Anyway, we have a wolf to find. Let's eat and get out of here."

* * *

 

They journey to Eastmarch was easy. A few feral wolves gave them issues along the province border, but they were dispatched quickly. They also had a narrow encounter with a giant, who took offense to them getting too close to him, but luckily managed to avoid his wrath. There hadn't been much conversation between the two of them until they were nearing Cragslane.

"You're not bad with that bow of yours, for a Nord," She commented as they walked along.

He laughed. 'For a Nord'? What was that supposed to mean? "I'm a Ranger for a reason. You're not bad with one either, for a wench."

"Watch what you call me," She warned. "You're speaking with someone trained in Valenwood. You can safely bet that you won't find better archers in all of Tamriel."

"Ah, so you're a true Bosmer then? I've never been that far south to your homelands."

"Valenwood is definitely something to behold. You could get lost in the beauty of the sprawling forests for hours. The cities are even built around them. Skyrim has its charm as well, but I don't think it could ever compare." She thought back on her home, and then sighed. "One day I'll visit my village again. I never intended to be gone as long as I have been, but things happen."

"So, why are you staying here then if you want to go back? Other than the Companions stuff, obviously. Skyrim isn't the greatest place to call 'home' right now."

"I have my reasons."

"Reasons? Like what?"

She groaned. "I just have a lot going on right now and walking away from it all isn't exactly my style. Why do you even care anyway?"

"Just curious. You seem to talk up Valenwood so much, but then decide to settle in Skyrim."

"Well, since you're so curious about  _my_ history, why not tell me a bit about yourself. How'd you meet Karnwyr?"

That was easy enough for him to answer. "I found him as a pup in the Rift. He was motherless, and just kind of latched onto me since I didn't immediately kill him. We've been traveling together ever since. As I've said before, he's the closest thing I have to family. We live together, fight together, and someday we'll die together, and that suits me just fine."

"Aww, how adorable. A boy and his wolf." She cackled as he shook his head.

"I'm far more than a 'boy', ladyship. In more ways than one."

"Oh? Well, I don't care to find out about those apparent 'ways'." He simply shrugged at her. After saying that, she stopped walking and looked at her map. "Anyway, if your directions are correct, the hideout should be just up this hill. Do you want to come up with a plan or are you one of those types who just charges in and hopes he doesn't get killed?"

"A plan? For a bunch of bandits? I think we're capable of taking care of them without one."

"So the latter, I take it. Good to know." She folded up her map and stuck it in her side pouch. "Well, we should get moving then. The sun's setting, and it's a perfect time to wipe the damn floor with these assholes."

"Just don't mistake me for one and plant another one of those damn arrows into me. By the Gods, those things aren't fun to deal with."

"Good ol' Bosmer craftsmanship there. I'll refrain from making a target out of you this time."

"Great. Let's go then."

She took the lead and readied her bow. A few bandits sat outside by a crackling campfire. One was talking about things that not even her sensitive ears could pick up due to the distance. He was gesturing towards the cages they kept a few wolves in, however, and that had her frowning. She knocked an arrow back and took aim at the talking one. The arrow shot right through his skull and he was dead before he realized what hit him. There was a muttered praise from the Ranger next to her, which put a smug look on her face.

The second bandit stood up and looked around. She unsheathed a war axe from her side and called out for the intruders. Bishop took care of her. One arrow lodged itself in her leg, which forced her onto her knee. She turned in the direction it came from, and the second planted itself right between her eyes. After that was over, he made his way to the entrance to the hideout, with Wyllin following closely behind. When her footsteps died down just before he reached the door, he looked back to find her at the cages with the wolves.

She placed her hand up to the bars and stared at the captured beasts. A frown formed on her face. She pulled out her lockpicking kit and quickly got to work.

"What are you doing?" Bishop hissed. "None of those are Karnwyr. You're just going to-"

"Quiet down. This'll only be a moment." She got the lock of the first cage undone, and then opened it. The Ranger was prepared for an attack, but it never came. Instead, the wolf looked up at the elf, as if silently thanking her. Then she gestured down the hill with her head and it ran off in that direction. The second cage was unlocked and the same thing happened. As it did, her companion just watched in disbelief.

"How did you even..."

"Well, I  _am_ aBosmer. We have a certain level of control over wild beasts. Some more than others." She looked over at him. "Might not want to have me around for too long. I might be able to tame you as well if given enough time."

"I doubt that could ever happen, princess."

"Watch it with that nickname." She then walked passed him and closed the distance to the entrance of the hideout. "Come on, we don't have all night."

He followed her inside. A Dunmer at the entrance took notice of them. Before he could so much as draw his weapon, however, Wyllin dashed over. A dagger was drawn and stuck right into his neck, cutting off his ability to cry out to the others. She then pulled the blade out and drove it into his stomach.

"Fearless little thing, aren't you?" Bishop said as he observed the scene.

"I have no sympathy for bandits," She stated, matter-of-factly. "Let's keep going." She headed into a tunnel that led further into the bandit lair.

An empty cage came into view. There was signs of recent activity around it. Clearly a struggle to get whatever was in it out and further down the tunnel took place. Bishop examined the cage, and then cursed. "There's fur here, and it's the same color as Karnwyr's. Damnit, I hope we're not too late."

"We're not," She assured him, despite the fact she didn't even know. "But we're wasting time. I can hear things going on not too far from here." She continued on, and he quickly followed behind her. Soon enough, they stood before the area the fights were taking place. Luckily, neither of the wolves currently in the pit were Karnwyr. None of the bandits had taken notice of them either. Perfect.

Bishop was about ready to strike one of them down, but was stopped by the elf next to him. "What are you doing?" He asked in a hushed tone.

She looked towards him. Gods, that crooked grin on her face was damn near terrifying. She held up her right hand and curled her fingers, and a ball of black and purple began to form in the center of her palm. "Why don't we give these bandit boys a taste of their own medicine? I think they deserve it." With that, she released her spell. Three spectral wolves appeared right in the middle of all the bandits. They immediately attacked. The two nearest brigands couldn't even draw their weapons in time, and a few others only managed to get a couple of good hits in before they were torn down as well.

From off to the side, one of the bandits decided it would be a good idea to release the two fighting wolves, but Wyllin was already on top of that. The moment those animals stepped out of the ring, they immediately joined her summons' side in battle. It was a brutal few minutes of carnage until each and every one of their enemies was ripped apart before the eyes of the two. The Bosmer was strangely calm as she observed the carnage, arms crossed with an almost amused look on her face. Once it was done and over with, a wave of her hand dismissed the spectral wolves, and the real ones dashed by the two and towards the exit of the cave.

Bishop looked over at Wyllin in disbelief. "Did... Did that just happen?"

She turned her attention to him and smirked. "Yes it did. I feel it was a fitting end to these assholes. Well, a  _more_ fitting end would simply be throwing them into the ring and watching them fight to the death. I'm not the fondest of animal cruelty."

"I..." He paused, and then shook his head. "No. Come on. We still need to find Karnwyr." She nodded and then followed him further into the cave. In a back room, several more cages stood against a wall. Two of them were occupied. One of them housed a dead wolf, and the other held a living one. As the two entered, the living one looked towards them, and immediately got to his feet and barked at them.

Wyllin got the cage unlocked and looked down at the wolf inside. "You must be Karnwyr!" He acknowledged her for only a second before turning his attention to Bishop, who he then darted over to and tackled, licking his face.

The Ranger laughed as he tried to push Karnwyr away. "Hey, you mutt! What in the world were you thinking, getting captured and having me track you all the way down to this Gods forsaken place?"

The Bosmer chuckled as she watched the two, arms crossed over her chest. "At least he's alive and well. I don't see any blood, or serious damage. We must've gotten here just in time. Anyway, I think it's about time we got the hell out of here."

He managed to get the wolf off of him and stood back up. "Sounds like a plan. I suppose you want to set up camp and wait the night out before we go do whatever it is the Companions have you doing?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I think there was a good clearing not too far from here as well."

* * *

 

They managed to find the clearing Wyllin spoke of. A fire had been started to stave off the darkness that surrounded them. A single tent had been pitched and both of their bedrolls were placed inside of it. The two were now seated at the crackling fire, with the elf going through her backpack and frowning.

"I don't have much in here in the ways of food. I was planning to stock up at Riverwood." She turned to face the shadowy forest. "Maybe I could bag some small game out there."

"As long as you don't mistakenly shoot someone else while you're doing it."

"You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Nope! There are ways that you could make it up to me, however." The suggestive look he gave her had her eyes rolling.

"Keep dreaming. I'm going to see what I can find out there." She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. She then turned around and headed into the forest. It didn't take long for her to take down a few rabbits. It wouldn't be much, but at least it'd be enough for the night. She didn't want to go after bigger game in the middle of the night. Once she was back, she held out her scores, and then tossed one over to Karnwyr. As he ate, she began to skin one of the other two.

"Need some help?" Bishop asked, causing her to look up at him.

"Can that butter knife you carry even cut into anything?"

"Oh, definitely," He replied as he sat down next to her and took the other rabbit. "Believe me, dear. This thing can cut deeper than my words. You want to feel?"

"Bring that thing anywhere close to me and you'll have one of mine driven neatly across your neck."

"Well, you're definitely a feisty one, aren't you? I like that in a woman." He chuckled when she rolled her eyes. "You're pretty impressive, too. I've never seen someone manage to control three summons at once."

"Summons or not, they're still wolves, and still under the control of my Bosmeri abilities. Training from my village elders helped significantly with both my Conjuration and my animal control as well. I am a woman of many talents, Bishop."

"Really now? Why do I feel like you could be the type to get me into all sorts of trouble?"

She paused what she was doing and looked over at him, a sly smile coiling up on her lips. "It's trouble you want, eh? I can provide plenty of that."

"Oh? I'm looking forward to that." His expression matched her own.

"Does this mean that you might want to stick around longer than just helping me deal with my Companions contract?"

"I'll sleep on the idea."

She sat down her carving knife and reached over. Fingers brushed against the Nord's cheek. "You might want to be careful, Ranger. I think I might just tame you yet."

He placed his hand over hers, and then moved it off of his face. "I honestly doubt you could ever come close to doing such a thing, princess, but you're welcomed to try."

"Again with that 'princess' thing." She shook her head. "I'll need to break you of that, at the very least." She grabbed her knife again and went back to work on the rabbit, skillfully cutting away at its pelt.

"Good luck with that," He responded.

Once both of the rabbits were skinned and their meat was harvested, she got to work on preparing their meal. The meat was cut up and then cooked with the legs. A few herbs from her bag were also thrown in to give it some flavor. Bishop was handed his portion in one of the wooden bowls she carried with her, and then she settled down next to him with hers.

"So, Bishop." Her words had him looking over to her. "How did you become a Ranger?"

"Why the sudden interest?"

"Well, you were interested in  _my_ story earlier. I just want to get to know you better."

"Sweetness, you don't need to know my life story to do that." His suggestive look was met with an unamused frown. "Alright, fine. How did I become a Ranger? For the same reasons anyone else sells themselves. I was raised with the skills, with the difference being I didn't use them for profit. Well, not an  _honest_  kind of profit anyway." She was chewing at a piece of meat, but paused when he said that. She eyed the Nord skeptically, which had him sighing. "Don't worry. I'm not going to steal your belongings and run off into the night. Those days are long behind me at this point."

"Good. Go ahead and continue."

"I started ranging about... Seven years ago, if memory serves. Word got around that I could track runaways or hunt meals for fat, lazy nobles. Whatever." He shook his head. "I didn't plan on this being my lifestyle at first, but I had a bow and they had coin. So I became their Ranger, and it's been like that since." He then eyed her curiously. "So, what about the illustrious woman before me? You said you have reasons for sticking around this frozen wasteland. Mind telling me what they are?"

She looked down at her bowl and tried to formulate a response. "Well, there's the Companions, to get the obvious reason out of the way. I suppose I've become something of a leader for them, even if they don't exactly believe in having one. It's a... Long story. On top of that, well... I suppose I just got sick of wandering. I've been on my own out in Tamriel for five years at this point, and it got tiring after a while. A few certain events happened, which led me to Skyrim, and to the doorstep of Jorrvaskr."

"And you never thought of returning home?"

"I suppose this place  _has_ become my home at this point. Sure, I could return to Valenwood if I so desired but..." She thought of her parents and how they'd heavily disapprove of the choices she'd made if they were to find out about them. "I don't think it'd be a good idea at this point. Besides, I haven't grown tired of this 'frozen wasteland' yet, as crazy as that might sound."

He tilted his head when she mentioned how it wouldn't have been a good idea to return to Valenwood. She never gave the actual reason for why she thought that, however, and he figured it was better to not try and pry it from her. The two fell silent after that, opting to just continue eating.

Once they were finished with their meals, the elf stood up and stretched. "Think I'll turn in for the night. I'm going to go change into something better for sleeping." As much as she loved her armor, it wasn't the most comfortable to sleep in, and she already had enough trouble falling asleep as it was.

He nodded and watched as she made her way over to her bag and produced a set of night clothes. How the hell could she carry so much in that damned thing? She then headed off to change out of her armor, and he couldn't help but look. The campfire light just barely illuminated the elf from the distance she was at, but he could see clearly enough as she began to remove her cuirass.

Apparently, she caught onto his peeping fairly quickly, and shot him a dirty look. "Do you  _mind?_ " She growled, which had him turning back to the campfire quickly, though there was a smirk on his face. "Try that again and I'll carve those eyes from your skull, Ranger." That only had him laughing. After his little stunt, she decided it would be a better option to find a place to change  _outside_ of his line of vision. Fantastic. She managed to attract an animal. Some twisted part of her enjoyed his attention, however, even if she'd never admit it to herself. Let alone admit it to  _him_.

She changed and made her way back into camp. Armor was dropped off by her other belongings. The two shared quick 'goodnights', and then she got cozied up in her bedroll, falling asleep soon after.


	3. A Dance With Dragons

Bishop opened his eyes and sat upright, stretching once he did so. Wyllin's bedroll had already been emptied and packed up. From beyond the opening of the tent, he could see her sitting by the burnt out campfire, dressed back up in her armor and messing with something in her hands. He pulled his leather jacket on and strapped it up. Afterwards, he got up and headed out. "Do you always wake up early?"

"I don't sleep a whole lot to begin with," She replied as she carefully carved away at what looked to be the head of an arrow from a bone. "Good morning, by the way."

"Morning. He squinted up to the sky above them and rubbed sleep from his eyes. "What time even is it, anyway?"

"Mid-morning, if I had to guess," She answered. "I was just about to head out and track down breakfast once I finished this batch of arrows. Want to come along?"

"Sure." He sat down by her and observed her crafting. Karnwyr had noticed he'd woken up and walked over to sit down by him. "Do you make all of the arrows you use from bone?"

"Yep. It's what I was taught. Us Bosmer know a good deal about arrow crafting." She held the newly crafted arrowhead up to examine it in the light, then frowned and brought it back down to continue carving at it. "These ones in specific are designed to make their target bleed heavier than normal. Though I suppose you'd know that."

He rubbed at the arm she'd shot when they first met. The only time it actually hurt anymore was when it was touched, but the scar it'd leave behind would be a permanent reminder of this girl. "Guess I would."

The second time she looked over her arrowhead, she seemed satisfied and sat down her knife. Then she reached for a shaft she'd made just earlier. "It can be a useful material, if you know how to work it properly. We use it for weapon hilts and bows as well."

"You make that bow too, then?" He gestured over to the weapon laying by her side.

She glanced down at it, and then shook her head. "No, that's the handiwork of my brother back in Valenwood. He made it for me as a parting gift shortly before I left home. That was... Some five years ago now." She sighed as she grabbed her quiver to slide the newly made arrow into it. "But that's not important. I think I'm ready to head out for a hunt." She packed up her tools and the remainder of the bones she had and put them in her bag.

"Sounds like a plan." He stood up and made his way back into the tent to grab his weapons. Once he was back out and Wyllin was geared up, the two set off. With his help, it was easy to get on the trail of something. Eventually, the two tracked an elk and then swiftly brought it down when they saw it. Once it was hauled back to their camp, she took to cleaning it while he started the fire back up. Karnwyr seemed to cozy up to the elf as she carved away at the beast, waiting for her to hand over a meal to him as well.

* * *

 

After eating, cleaning everything up, and putting out the fire, they headed off again. Wyllin took the lead, map in hand. It wasn't long before she reached the area that Vilkas had told her about. It was a small settlement not too far from Kynesgrove. Given the recent issues with whatever beast had been causing problems, nobody was really outside. Save for one.

"Thank the Divines!" Someone shouted off to the side, catching the attention of the group. He rushed over to meet them. He was a tall Nord with broad shoulders, short brown hair, and blue eyes. "You're with the Companions, yes?"

Wyllin nodded as she folded her map back up. "That I am. I assume you're Borvni."

"Yes. I'm the owner of this homestead. Thank you for coming."

"Mhm. So, what can you tell me about this thing?"

"This thing is huge!" Borvni told her, eyes widened with fear. "Covered in scales. It even has wings! I saw it flying around just earlier a little ways south from here. Luckily, it hasn't gotten any closer to our home, but I fear that won't be the case for long. Do... Do you think it could be one of those beasts everyone says is coming back? Do you think it could be a  _dragon?_ "

"Definitely sounds like it." The Bosmer was surprisingly calm as she mentally took note of what he said. "My guild has dealt with these things before. Don't worry, Borvni. We'll make sure you're safe from this beast. You and your family have nothing to worry about."

"Gods watch over you as you take care of this thing, Companion. We'll all be in your debt."

She offered a smile and then said her goodbyes to the Nord landowner. From the window, she noticed two small kids looking out. The fear in their eyes was saddening, and only made her determined to take down that dragon before it could harm them. As she headed out, Bishop placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're really going to go up against a dragon?" He asked. "And you're going to drag me along as well?"

"Relax. These things aren't as tough as they seem. Take him out of the sky and tear up one of his wings so he can't get back up there again. The moment he loses that advantage, killing him off completely is child's play."

"You're insane."

"Thank you for noticing. Now, come on." She pulled out her bow as they neared where they were supposed to be headed. It was a little ways up a hill. Karnwyr was ordered to wait outside of the dragon's lair. The place they entered into was covered in the skeletal remains of dead Mammoths. Off to their left was a large wall, with something carved into it in the language of the dragons. Sitting on top of it was an actual dragon itself.

Its eyes settled on the group, staring them down. "Foolish  _jorre,_ you dare intrude upon my lair?  _Nu hin sille_  Alduin's!" With that, he took to the skies.

"Don't bother trying to shoot him until he comes down to attack," Wyllin told Bishop as she readied her bow. "These winged demons are too fast. Aim for the snout or the wings."

"You know a lot about fighting these."

"Shh! No talk. Get down!" She pulled him off to the side as the dragon released his fire upon the spot where the Nord once stood.

Once he regained himself, he took out his weapon. The Bosmer was already on the beast's tail. Her aim was trained on it, carefully following along as it flew around. Eventually, it settled on her and dipped down. He hovered above her and readied his Thu'um once more. As he did, an arrow lodged itself into the side of his face, causing it to snarl and look over at the one who shot it. Bishop lowered his bow and grinned. The moment the dragon tried to attack him, however, he was shot in the neck by the elf he previously targeted. The assault frustrated him, and he flew off again.

Wyllin moved to stand next to Bishop. He eyed her as she did so, but she was only focused on the dragon. "Split up when it tries to attack again to confuse it, then shoot."

He nodded and then returned his attention to their target. The dragon did try to attack again, and they did what she'd commanded. He ducked to the right, and she went to the left. The dragon growled as he tried to figure out which one to go after. Before he could choose, he had two more arrows lodged into him.

After he flew off again, Bishop called out to his companion. "This is going to take forever if we keep it up!"

"I know. We need to get to his wings somehow. If he can't fly, it'll be-"

The ground below them shook as the dragon landed. Wyllin was knocked down by it. By the time she could process everything, her enemy was already upon her. She scooted back as the beast neared her. Then she was under his claws.

For a brief moment, he just stared at the mortal he held captive. Then he appeared to realize something about her and growled as he lowered his head.  _"Dovahkiin."_  Shit. Shit shit shit. She squirmed under the dragon's grip. Gods, where the fuck was Bishop?

He was still around, apparently. As the dragon was about to tear into Wyllin, he was interrupted by an arrow to the side of his head. This had the beast turning and glaring at the Ranger. Given how his captive had dropped her bow and couldn't reach her blades due to the enemy's hold on her, Bishop assumed he'd probably have to bail this now-helpless Bosmer out. What he didn't count on was her still having tricks up her sleeve.

There wasn't any other option. She knew her spells weren't the most effective against dragons, but one other things about her was. A deep breath was taken in as the dragon turned back to her. She waited for just the right second, and then released her Thu'um upon his face.  _"YOL TOOR."_ The sudden burst of flames had stunned the beast, and he went staggering backwards, releasing the elf he had previously been holding down. She immediately got to her feet and unsheathed both of her blades. The wing of the arm that he used to hold her down became her target. She slashed at it, tearing it to shreds as the dragon roared out in pain.

Once Bishop had recovered from his own shock, he immediately got back to shooting at their target, pelting the beast with arrows as his partner tore at its wing. It would appear that they had gained the upper hand due to... Whatever the fuck that crazy woman did.

The dragon snapped wildly at Wyllin, not really able to land any hits on her. Whatever came close was deflected away by one of her blades, cutting at his already bloodied snout in the process. At one point, he gave her the opening she was looking for, and she took it. Both of her daggers were plunged deeply into his long neck, and then they were dragged downwards. The beast tried to let out another roar of agony, but it only came out as a gurgled mess. Soon after, his head hit the ground, and she pulled her blades from his neck and stepped back, now soaked thoroughly in the dragon's blood.

The Nord dashed over to the bloodsoaked elf, still partially in shock by what she'd done earlier. "How the fuck... What was that? With the shouting and fire? How... How did you... What's going on now?" His attention was turned to the corpse of the dragon, which began to burn apart. Did they normally do that? As it did, wisps of colorful light began to rise from its remains and then envelope Wyllin. She didn't look at all surprised by what was going on, as if she'd seen it happen before. Soon, the dragon was nothing more than a pile of bones. Bishop appeared to have lost his ability to speak completely after that.

She wiped the dragon's blood off of her face as best as she could and looked towards him, chuckling softly at his awestruck look. "Well, I suppose you now know the  _other_ reason I stay in this province now. I'm the Dragonborn." As she spoke, she walked over to retrieve her bow from where it skidded off to when she was knocked down by the dragon.

It took a little for him to regain his voice. She was what? Did he hear that right? "You... You're Dragonborn?"

"Yes, is that surprising?"

"Well, kind of?" He laughed. "I don't know. I never kept up with news on all of that. I didn't know - or really care - about what to expect from the Dragonborn. A tiny Bosmer with hair down to her ass wasn't exactly up there on the list though."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Her eyes rolled. "People always expect me to be some vicious looking Nord. Then they meet me and almost want to laugh... Until I shout them into the next hold, that is." A sly smirk formed on her face. "Would you like a demonstration of that?"

He immediately backed up. "No, I'm just fine with where I'm at, thank you." Well, at least he could now remember where he heard her name from. While he never had any interest with keeping up on Skyrim's newest hero, occasionally catching bits and pieces of her escapades was inevitable. "So, is there a reason you withheld this information from me until now? Were you expecting that the moment I found out, I'd drop to my knees and start kissing your boots?" He laughed. "I'm not the type of person to do that to anyone, if you haven't gathered by now."

"I had my suspicions..." She then looked down at her boots. "Sad that you don't, though. They could use a good shining."

"Tch. Then why don't you ask Karnwyr? He seems to have cozied up to you pretty quickly... Please tell me you're not using your Bosmer animal control shit on him."

"Nope, he just likes me. What's wrong? Think your brother might start favoring this li'l ol' Bosmer over the grumpy Ranger he's been stuck with for years now?"

"He might learn his lesson due to the stomach ache he'll get after you try feeding him a sweetroll or something."

The elf crossed her arms and huffed. "I know how to take care of animals. I mean, look at you. You're still alive!"

Bishop grunted. "Funny, but this 'animal' can take care of himself just fine."

"Oh please, you wouldn't have been able to hold your own against those bandits back in Cragslane without my help. You're lucky I was generous enough to assist you after that bullshit back in the forest and outside the Sleeping Giant."

He crossed his arms as well. "Well, how was I supposed to respond to someone who shot an arrow in my arm?"

"We're not getting into this." She then turned her attention to the wall the dragon was sitting on when they first entered the area. Once she walked over, she examined the words written on it. Her knowledge in the dragon language was lacking, to say the least, but one word did stick out to her.

"Ladyship, what are you doing?" His words didn't even register in her head.

Instead, her mind was filled with visions of what the Word she was looking at entailed. The corners of her vision blurred, and began to freeze over, just as everything around her did. It was enough to leave her  _literally_ shaking, which had the Nord concerned. The bite of Skyrim's cold seemed to hit her harder than it normally did for a brief moment. Then, all at once, it faded back to normal. She brought a hand to her forehead and blinked a few times, and then jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"What just happened? You looked like you were in some kind of trance... Just by looking at that wall?"

She turned to face him. "It's hard to explain, but I can... Gain abilities from some of these things. Ones like that Fire Breath I used back there, but this one's different. I'll need to think about it more later." Afterwards, she walked past him and started down the path away from the dragon lair.

He quickly ran to catch up with her. "Hey, where are you going?"

"To go tell Borvni that the dragon's dead. Then I need to head back to Whiterun to collect the payment from Vilkas, the one who gave me this contract." She glanced back at him. "You're free to do whatever you want now. I helped you get your wolf, you helped me with my contract. As far as I can tell, we're done."

He managed to get in front of her, and then block her path. "Really? Well, I don't see it that way."

"Oh?" She looked up at him with a curious expression. "You actually want to stick around now?"

"You said you could get me into all sorts of trouble back at that camp, didn't you? Freaky Nordic legend shit or not, I'm still looking forward to it."

She chuckled and moved a little closer to him, and a hand rested against his chest. "I definitely can provide that. In fact, I could go as far as to say I might be the most fun you've had in a long while."

"I can't wait for you to prove that, then." One of his hands reached up and settled over the one she had on his chest. He continued to look in her eyes, trying to see just how much of a challenge she could be for him, but his sizing up was cut short by a loud bark. Karnwyr had apparently become impatient and dashed over towards the two, tackling Bishop once more.

Wyllin stepped out of the way before the two could land on top of her, and snickered as they wrestled on the ground.

"A little help here, ladyship?" Bishop asked as he struggled with the wolf.

"No, you seem to be doing just fine." She then walked past them and continued along her path back to Borvni's home. "Might want to hurry up though. I do have things to deal with before it gets dark."

The Ranger finally managed to get free from the wolf and had to run to catch up with her again. That time, he settled with just walking by her side. Karnwyr trailed behind the two a little, apparently excited by the fact they'd be continuing to accompany Wyllin. Borvni and his wife stood outside their home, clearly excited to see the three return. Then they noticed the elf.

"By Ysmir, Companion! I hope that blood isn't your own." Borvni frowned as he looked her over.

"Oh, right. That." She laughed, completely forgetting that she was coated in dragon blood due to how she chose to end the beast's life. "No, it's not mine. Don't worry."

"Ah, well. Why don't you come inside and take a bath. My wife, Holma, will happily clean your armor while you do."

"That's very kind of you." The elf smiled. She looked towards Bishop. "I think you could use a bath, too. You smell like a dog."

He rolled his eyes. "Funny. I think I'll wait out here, ladyship. You go on ahead."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself." She headed inside with Holma, who led her to the bath. Their two kids looked at the bloodsoaked Companion with a mixture of fear and awe as she walked by. The bath water was lukewarm, but she was thankful for what she could get. Once she was in the water, Holma took her armor and headed out of the room. The elf then took her time cleaning off the blood and dirt from the encounter from both her skin and her hair. The latter always proved to be difficult to clean, but she managed to get through. After slowly working her way from the tips of her hair to her scalp, the soft strawberry blonde hues began to show again. Then she pulled herself out of the water, toweled off, and slipped into her night clothes until Holma was finished with her armor.

Upon walking out, she noticed Bishop had found his way inside, likely after a bit of urging from the couple, and was sitting at their dining table. Karnwyr was also hesitantly allowed in as well, but the two kids were now all over him as he laid near his brother's feet. The sight had the Bosmer chuckling, which brought everyone's attention to her.

"Ah, you're done," Borvni said. "Your friend here was telling us what happened at the lair. You really took down a dragon?"

"It's nothing I haven't faced before," She replied as she sat down in the chair next to Bishop. "I'm just glad to bring another one of those damned things down. Thank you for your hospitality, by the way."

"There is no need to thank us, Companion."

"Please, call me Wyllin."

Borvni cocked his head to the side when she said her name, and then looked towards Holma, who was making something in their cooking pot. They both shared the same expression of confusion. He turned back to the elf. "Wyllin? That name is familiar... Yes! Of course! You're the Dragonborn, aren't you?"

"That I am. It would appear my friend hasn't told you everything, then."

"Hey, it took you absorbing that flying lizard's soul for me to find out. I just assumed it's not all that important for people to know." He rolled his eyes.

The wife tapped her spoon against the side of the cooking pot and sat it down. "I suppose that explains how you managed to kill that thing. Well, we'd be honored if the Dragonborn joined us for a meal. You must be famished. Unless, you have places to be?"

"I'm sure we can stay a little while longer. I was just going to head back to Jorrvaskr anyway." She looked to Bishop, who simply shrugged. The choice was hers.

So they stayed. Wyllin happily chatted with the couple, while her companion kept an eye on Karnwyr, who just lazily splayed himself across the floor as the children cooed and petted him. Was this thing an actual wolf or a house dog? Once the meal was finished, Holma brought the Dragonborn's now cleaned up armor to her. After being told they were welcomed at the family's doorstep anytime, they set back off. As they exited the door, one of the kids was begging their father to get a pet wolf due to their encounter with Karnwyr. This had the Bosmer chuckling as she went.

* * *

 

"There you are, little wolf," Vilkas greeted as Wyllin and Bishop made their way into Jorrvaskr. "I assume you dealt with whatever that Borvni man asked of you?"

"Yep. It's all been settled. Turns out it was a dragon."

The Companion furrowed his brows. "A dragon? You took care of this thing alone?"

"No, I had the help of this Ranger here." She motioned to Bishop. "We managed to take the thing down easily enough, and the family that called upon us is safe."

"Good to know. So, who  _is_  this Ranger you managed to pick up along the way? I don't think I've seen him around here before."

"His name is Bishop. He doesn't really keep up with us. Didn't even know who I was when we first spoke."

Vilkas examined the Nord before him. "Doesn't seem like much to me." That comment had her partner sneering, but she nudged his shoulder and he settled down.

"Neither was I when we first met, remember? Now look at me."

"Ah, yes. Fair enough, Harbinger. Well, I suppose you'll want your pay. Also, I forgot to mention, but someone came by looking for you while you were gone."

"Me? In particular? Who were they, and what did they want?"

"I don't know. It was some blonde woman in leather armor. A Breton, I think? She just said she was looking for you, and mentioned you by name."

Wyllin furrowed her brows and thought for a second. Then the realization hit her. "Delphine! Shit, right. I was supposed to meet her back in Riverwood. Then I got distracted with this guy's business." She looked over to Bishop.

"You didn't have to come, you know," He said, frowning down at the elf.

Vilkas looked back and forth between the two, somewhat confused, but then sighed. "Anyway, she told me to tell you to go meet up with her the moment you got the chance. Seemed urgent."

"Yeah, we were talking about a few matters related to dragons and she needed some time to get things together. I'll head back tomorrow. For right now, it's late, and I'm not keen on making another trip out tonight."

"You're welcome to stay here. Jorrvaskr always has spare beds for your friend over there as well."

"Of course!"

Right after she said that, a different voice spoke up. "Wyllin?"

She looked over, and then grinned when she saw who it was. "Farkas! It's good to see you! I don't think you were around the last time I visited." She bounded over to him and hugged him. Despite the large differences in their sizes, she nearly managed to knock him to the floor.

"Thought that was you I heard." He chuckled and patted her on the head. "We just got back from our trip to High Rock. Aela's here too."

She pulled back and grinned at him. "I'll have to go see her as well. I'm just glad you guys got back safely. I suppose I shouldn't be underestimating the abilities of the Companions though."

"I think you, of all people, know how much of a mistake that would be, Sister."

"I do. Anyway, I think I'll be getting to sleep. If Delphine really has something for me, it's going to be a long day."

"Sleep well then, Wyllin," Vilkas replied. "I'll leave your payment on your desk."

She nodded and then gestured for Bishop to follow her. "Come on, I'll show you where you can rest your head for the night." He sighed and followed her down a set of steps and into the area below the mead hall. Several of the Companions looked towards her as she passed by. A few of them were unfamiliar faces to Wyllin, undoubtedly brought on by one of the brothers or Aela. She offered a polite wave and then continued on. "Well, here it is. Just pick a bed and fall in. I've got my own room, so I'm going to be heading there."

"You're kidding me, right?" He asked, causing her to raise an eyebrow. "You expect me to just fall asleep here with all these other people around? Yeah, you're crazy. I think I'll go rent a room at the inn and you can come fetch me whenever you're ready to leave." He then paused and smirked. "Or I could keep you warm in your room tonight."

That had her groaning. "There isn't a chance in Oblivion. Fine, go do what you want. Shame on Vilkas and I for trying to be nice." She didn't have the energy to deal with him. "I'll come get you tomorrow. Or maybe I'll just head back to Riverwood on my own. I don't know."

"Tch. Fine, killjoy." He turned and headed out.

Wyllin watched as she did, leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed. Gods, that man was irritating to no end. Once the door leading to the mead hall closed behind him, she started her way down the hall. Aela managed to catch her before she got to her room and the two chatted for a little while about their most recent adventures. The Nord woman praised her for her defeat of the dragon, and then showed off one of the pelts of the bears she'd taken down in High Rock with Farkas. After a little while, they parted ways and Wyllin finally made it to her room. Once the door was shut, she fell into bed and passed out the moment her head hit the pillow, not even bothering to change out of her armor.

* * *

 

The next day felt like it came too quickly. Her restlessness left her tossing and turning for the majority of the night. Eventually, she got to the point where she just decided to give up and crawl out of bed. Once she got ready and found her payment where Vilkas had said it would be, she grabbed her bag and headed out of the room and into the mead hall. The three Circle members were already sitting around and eating, and she gladly joined them. It was nice to finally have a moment where it felt like she was still just a member of the guild, rather than some dragon slaying hero of Skyrim. The Companions who were around when she first joined still treated her like a person, though they also respected her title as Harbinger. As she was preparing to leave again, she was stopped by Vilkas on her way out the door.

"Can I have a word with you, Shield-Sister?" He asked.

She gave him a puzzled look. "Sure. What do you need?"

"I want to tell you something about that Ranger you brought here last night. I said I didn't know of him, but I was lying at the time. He  _does_ have a reputation here in Whiterun hold, and a bad one at that. None of us were ever sent to deal with him though, so that's probably why he was never brought to your attention before."

"Why am I not surprised?" She asked, sarcasm very apparent in her tone. Then she shook her head. "Look, I've got things under control if that's what you're getting at. Given everything that's gone on since he and I have met, he should know better than to mess with me."

"I just want you to be careful, for all our sakes. You might be Harbinger, but you're still naive at times. Take this as a word of advice from a Circle member, and watch yourself when you're with him. He's the furthest thing from honorable."

"I'll be careful, don't worry. Thank you for your concern, Vilkas." She offered a smile. "I better be off though. Delphine isn't going to be waiting around forever."

"Of course. Thank you for listening."

She then headed out and made her way down to the Plains District. The marketplace was bustling with morning shoppers. While she was there, she decided to pick up a few things from the stalls for her journey. As she was browsing Carlotta's stock, a familiar Nord decided to make himself known.

"Finally done with your little guild up there? I was wondering if you were ever coming out of that place."

She looked over at him. "I don't spend a whole lot of time there anymore since this whole Dragonborn thing happened. They've been my second family ever since I came to Skyrim. It's nice to be able to actually speak with them every now and then."

"Family? Are you sure that's how  _all_ of them feel about you?"

"What on Nirn does that mean?"

Bishop chuckled. "Oh please. You can't be  _that_ oblivious, can you? I mean, just look at those two mutts you were speaking to when we were there for example."

"Vilkas and Farkas? They're like brothers to me."

"And are you sure they feel the same way?"

"I don't like where you're trying to take this, Bishop. There's nothing going on between either of them and myself, and there never has been."

"All men are animals, ladyship. They'll show that side of them someday."

"Ugh. You're impossible. Why don't you save your jealousy for someone else?"

"Jealousy? Over them?" That had him laughing, which only worsened her annoyed expression. "I'm the furthest thing from that. I'm just warning you that you can't trust any man out there."

"Warning noted," She said through gritted teeth. "Now let's drop this subject, please. I want to get back to Riverwood as soon as possible, preferably without strangling you beforehand." She then continued on with shopping. After inquiring about prices and then purchasing what she needed from Carlotta, she started her way towards the gate, but then stopped just before she reached it. "Oh, right." She opened her side pouch and pulled out a bag of gold. "I divided up the payment from that dragon. Figured you deserved some of it for helping, even if you've been a complete ass so far today."

He took the bag when she held it out to him and opened it up to examine its contents. "Well then. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now, come on. I don't want to waste more time than I already have." She turned back around and continued on through the gate and down the road that led to Riverwood.


	4. Cap'n Rum

Delphine watched as Wyllin approached the Sleeping Giant. "You're finally here, thank the Nine." She then looked over towards the person following her and frowned. Of course, she knew who he was, but she apparently never expected Wyllin to be wandering around with him. "Why's he here?"

"Long story. Anyways, yeah. I had some stuff to deal with, but I'm certain Vilkas told you everything when you visited the Companions looking for me?" She was slightly peeved that Delphine went  _that_ far to seek her out, but tried to not show it in her voice.

"Yes, something about dealing with some unknown beast in Eastmarch."

"It turned out to be a dragon."

"Really? Good thing you went then. Come on, we should talk inside." She looked over towards Bishop. "Though I think he can wait for us in the tavern."

The Bosmer rolled her eyes. "Delphine, he's fine. He's a grumpy Nord with a wolf pet. There isn't a chance in Oblivion that he's going to cause problems for us. Besides, he's my companion and is just going to find out anyway. Save me a step and let him come with us."

As Bishop was grumbling something about her choice in a description for him, Delphine was thinking carefully about her words. Then she gave a sigh of resignation. It was better to not fight the Dragonborn on petty matters. "Alright then. He can come with, but please hurry." She waved for the two to follow her in. They were led through the tavern and into a room to the right of the bar.

The Nord looked a little confused as they entered and the door was shut behind him, and that was only worsened when he saw Delphine open up a hidden area behind the false back of a wardrobe. As they walked into the secret room under the inn, he mumbled to Wyllin. "I didn't expect any of this to be down here." She quickly shushed him in return. Once they'd reached the room, he moved out of the ladies' ways and found a spot on the wall to lean up against.

"I found a way to get you inside the Thalmor embassy." As she spoke, Delphine walked over to the table in the center of the room and placed her hands on it. "Elenwen has decided to hold a reception there, basically to let all the rich and famous of Skyrim cozy up to her and her associates."

Get her inside a party as the embassy? Well, this wasn't something Wyllin had expected. "So we're not just going to fight our way in?" She asked.

Delphine's brows furrowed. "Are you crazy? Even if you managed to get past the guards, chances are any evidence they'll have about the dragons will be destroyed before you have the chance to find it. No, we need to do this covertly."

"Alright then, espionage it is. How  _exactly_ are we going to get inside of this place without being detected? I can imagine that place is locked up tightly. On top of that, aren't they hunting you?"

"That's why I'm not going. You are. Alone."

"Excuse me?"

"The Thalmor don't know who you are yet, Dragonborn. With the help of someone I know on the inside and some luck, you might be able to stay there just long enough to find out about the dragons and then get out in one piece."

"Listen, I know I'm not the sanest of individuals out there, but I think this is crossing a line. Even for me."

"Oh, so your brain  _can_ function sometimes?" Bishop asked, which brought a scowl to Wyllin's face. She chose not to respond to him, and instead turned back to Delphine.

"Well, do you have any better ideas? We need this information."

"I know we do, but I'm sure as shit not going to be facing off a bunch of Thalmor on my own. Dragons and draugr maybe, but not these guys." She seemed more nervous than angry at the suggestion. "Especially if they find out who I am. They'll go after my family in Valenwood. My village might be aligned with them, but they're quick to deal with anyone they feel could betray them." The thought of the Thalmor making examples out of her family... Her hands balled into fists. "I'm sorry, Delphine. You're on your own with this one." She turned around and started to walk away.

"Dragonborn-"

"No."

The Breton dashed in front of her, blocking her path to the exit. "Listen, okay. We can find another way in. I might be able to devise a plan with Malborn."

"Malborn?"

"My associate from inside the embassy. Bosmer. He knows the thought process you're going through, except he's  _experienced_ it, and has plenty of reason to hate the Thalmor."

Her words brought pause to Wyllin. He knew? Those purges the mer of her village whispered about were real then. She found her gut wrenching at the thought. A pang of sympathy rang out for her kinsman. "Alright. I'm listening."

"He knows a good portion of the embassy like the back of his hand. They might restrict him from certain areas, but he'll be able to get you set up to a degree. The rest will be on you, however. I'll meet with him in a few days, and then he'll relay the plan to you in Solitude. Meet him inside the Winking Skeever."

"Okay, this might be doable. I'm still on edge, but I'll meet with him and see what you've come up with."

"Talos guard you, Dragonborn." Delphine stepped out of the way.

She nodded and gestured for Bishop to follow her. As they made their way through the tavern, she knew he didn't like something about the plan. She could practically feel amber eyes burning into her back as they went. Once they were outside, she turned to face him. "Is there something you want to talk about?"

"So, you're going to infiltrate an embassy locked up tighter than a miser's purse?"

"Yep."

"And you'll likely have to face off against some of the strongest mages in Skyrim?"

"Yes."

"And you'll be doing this all on the good faith of some apparent associate of that innkeeper's? Just because he's a Bosmer who had his family killed?"

"It's not just that. He's been through a lot, Bishop. You try having your family murdered by the Dominion and come out with any sympathy for them."

That had the Nord laughing. "As if I would care if my family was killed off by the Thalmor." The comment had his companion raising an eyebrow, but he chose not to elaborate. Instead, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Anyway, I just think you're insane."

She just shook her head and turned around to continue walking. "Chances are this Malborn has been waiting to strike against the Thalmor because of the shit they've done to him. Apparently unlike you, I have close ties to my kin. If something happened to them, I'd..." She sighed. "Well, that doesn't matter right now. What does is getting our asses to Solitude the moment we can. That is if you're going to come along."

"Well, you already dragged me through an encounter with a dragon. I guess I can at least tolerate heading to Solitude. As for heading into the embassy with you? That's still up in the air."

"I don't need your help with that. I can handle myself."

"Against a group of Thalmor?"

"I've faced off against worse. I'm Dragonborn, remember? I make a hobby out of killing off fire breathing lizards."

"Fair enough. Insanity runs in your blood." He rolled his eyes. "Well, we're not going to get to Solitude just by arguing."

"Yeah, come on. I'd say we could travel there on foot, but the carriage is likely faster."

* * *

 

The driver was reluctant to allow a fully grown wolf to hop aboard with the two, but eventually caved when Wyllin offered a little extra for the inconvenience. For the most part, the ride was smooth and quiet. The Bosmer was more interested in taking in the sights of Skyrim as they passed by. Bishop might've been more cynical with his views of the world, but she could still see a lot of the beauty in it, even if he couldn't.

At one point during the ride, something about the Ranger caught Wyllin's attention. A leaf from a tree must've somehow managed to lodge itself in his hair during the travel. For some reason, she saw this as a good opportunity to mess with him. Without warning she reached over and brushed her fingers through his brown locks, which caught him off guard.

"Ladyship, what the fuck-"

"Shh!' She hushed as she continued. Eventually, her fingers came to the leaf. She tugged at it gently, and then frowned when it didn't budge. Was this thing glued to his scalp or something? She continued to work at it, until a particularly sharp tug had him grabbing her wrist.

"Knock it off," He growled as he shoved her hand away from him.

"I'm just trying to help."

"Well, it's not working." He reached for his dagger and managed to cut the leaf out to satisfy Wyllin. It did nothing to his already short hair, at least. "Listen, if you want to touch me, I can think of better places than just messing with my hair."

His words had the elf cackling. "Oh, dream on Ranger."

Not long after that, they arrived at Solitude. The sun was setting and a cool breeze rustled the trees above them. Wyllin hopped off the carriage, followed by Karnwyr, and then Bishop. She thanked the driver and then made her way to the gates. The last time she'd been in the city, it was during the middle of an execution for treason. She hoped that wouldn't be the case this time around. Luckily, it wasn't.

She stopped and turned to her companion just inside the entrance. "We should probably book rooms for the next few days at the Winking Skeever. I don't think we'll be going far from the city for the time being. I'll take care of that. You can go ahead and find something for Karnwyr to eat. Poor boy must be starving."

Karnwyr's ears perked up and he barked. Meanwhile, Bishop crossed his arms and glared down at her. "I believe I've stated before that you can't go ordering me around."

"Just settle down and do what I want you to do. If a lady giving you a simple task makes you feel that self conscious, you have a problem." She then walked off towards the Skeever, leaving Bishop staring at her back. Eventually, he just let out a sigh and gestured for his wolf to follow him.

Once the rooms were booked, Wyllin made her way to hers. Once she was there and the door was shut behind her, she stripped out of her armor and put on a simple set of clothes. While she never felt the most comfortable without her protection, she didn't want to just walk around Solitude armed to the teeth. Instead, she simply grabbed one of her daggers and strapped it to her side just in case. By the time she was done and back down the steps into the tavern area, Bishop had just walked through the door.

"About time we finally stopped somewhere I could get a drin-" He was cut off when the Bosmer grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back through the door. "Hey! Where are you taking me?"

"To the docks," She responded. "The lake is beautiful in the evening."

"And why are you making me go with?"

"Because I want you to." She looked back at him and smirked.

He wanted to protest further, but she had a surprisingly strong hold on his arm. There really wasn't any way he could get out of it. Once they were back out of the gate, she settled with wrapping her arm around his, and then leaned against him a little. Karnwyr had followed behind them, still licking his chops from his dinner.

Her sudden desire for contact had her companion chuckling. "Well, you've warmed up to me pretty quickly, haven't you ladyship?"

"Be quiet," She mumbled as she continued to walk. For some odd reason, the fact he didn't pull away was comforting to her. While she wouldn't say she was enthralled with him, she was definitely intrigued. He never really treated her like some hero. In fact, he was very real with her, even after he found out who she was. It was a refreshing change of pace, but there wasn't a chance in Oblivion that she'd admit that to him. Not at that time, at least.

Once they'd arrived at the docks, Wyllin released Bishop from her grasp and moved a little closer. The crisp breeze blew strands of strawberry blonde hair into her face, and she stubbornly pushed them to the side and tucked them behind her ear. The setting sun reflected beautifully on the water below, which caused it to shimmer as waves rolled through it. Distant idle chatter could be heard as the dock workers prepared to retire to their homes and ships for the day. The sight before her allowed her worries to melt away for the short while, and she eventually found herself closing her eyes. However, an odd smell had her reopening them and turning to face the direction it was coming from.

An odd man in pirate's clothes was stumbling around a bit in place, with a bunch of empty bottles scattered around him. He appeared to be searching for something. The curious elf decided to approach him to see what was going on.

"Damn, that was me last bottle of rum," He mumbled to himself as he looked around. Then he caught sight of the Bosmer walking over to him. "Hey you!"

Wyllin paused. "Oh, fantastic.  _Another_ drunk."

The pirate was too shitfaced to even recognize the insult. He just grinned over at the elf. "Come here beautiful, let me get a closer look at you. Don't think I've seen your pretty face 'round here before. I'd certainly remember it."

"Well, I'm hardly ever in Haafingar... Why don't you keep your distance, buddy?" She stepped back as he moved a little closer.

He paused in his tracks. "Hey now, I just want to get to know you better."

"The only thing you need to know is that you don't want to get in a shouting match with me. If people around these parts think Ulfric's bad, I'm ten times worse."

It took a moment for her words to register. "Oh, shut up! You? You're the Dragonborn?" He laughed and looked towards Bishop. "This cute little elf? The power to shout a man to death? To pieces?!"

"You might want to be careful there, Cap'n Rum. She's not afraid to demonstrate that power." His warning had Wyllin smirking, and the pirate grimacing as he turned back towards her.

"Woah there, lass. No need to get rough. Listen... My name's Jack, Captain Jack, and I got myself a... A real big problem here. Y'see, I kinda lost me ship."

She gave him a stunned look. "A ship? You lost... An entire ship? How much have you been drinking, Jack?"

"Hahah! Not enough, if you ask me," He chuckled. "But yes, I can't seem to find it anywhere..."

"Have you tried looking in the last place you saw it?"

"Oh, so she's got beauty  _and_ brains! What a prize you are, Dragonborn."

She placed her palm against her forehead. "I'd rather you  _refrain_ from calling me that, captain."

He hadn't caught her words. Instead, he looked towards the docks. "So d-do you think you could do something for me? Do you think you could escort me to my vessel. I don't need me crew seeing me alone in this... Vulnerable state, y'know?"

Her arms crossed over her chest. Help out some drunk old pirate captain? When she glanced towards Bishop, he was shaking his head, clearly viewing this as a bad idea. It probably was. She then turned back to Jack. "Well, my services aren't free, Cap'n. Even the little Ranger over there is paying me by the hour."

He frowned. "Hey!"

"Quiet, you!" She snapped. "Anyway, what exactly would be in it for me?"

The pirate thought for a minute, and then grinned. "Oh, there could be a lot in it for you, lass. When we get there, I might even take you on board. Teach ya how to steer me boat." He winked.

"You're going to need a bigger rudder for that, buddy," The Ranger said as he moved closer to Wyllin. A hand was placed on her shoulder. "Ladyship, maybe we should leave this drunkard alone. Maybe he'll stumble into the water and find his ship after it's sobered him up! Or he could drown. Either or."

She swatted his hand away. "I can take care of myself." A sigh escaped her lips. "Well, we'll see about payment once we get you back to your ship. Point the way, Jack."

He led the way to where he last remembered seeing his ship. Wyllin followed, with Bishop and Karnwyr close behind her. The former of the two still seemed pissed by her desire to help out this man, while the latter just trotted along happily.

Apparently, Jack wasn't too keen on staying quiet the entire time. "Y'know, I ain't just a great pirate. I'm also a great navigator as well. In fact, I once... Circumcised the globe."

Bishop shot him a confused look. "You... What?"

"Hah! You might think I meant circumnavigated, but nope! I took a shortcut, in a clipper ship!" He paused. "Or was it a coastguard cutter."

His comment had the Bosmer chuckling. "Wow, Jack. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a comedian, instead of a pirate."

"Hah! Maybe I got into the wrong line of business, lass." He gave her a drunken grin. "Maybe I could think up more on the seas. Come on, Dragonborn. Let's sail away."

"There's not enough wind in your sails, pal." The agitation in Bishop's voice was starting to grow.

"Maybe you should get rid a' this anchor you got attached to ya, miss. He seems to be slowing you down."

"'Attached' wouldn't be the right word for it. I think she knows better than to sail off into the night with some drunkass pirate who doesn't know where his own damn ship is anyway."

"Would you two knock it off already?" Wyllin groaned, rolling her eyes.

Jack was too busy cackling to watch where he was going. When he made it down the stairs, he stumbled a bit on the last step. This had Wyllin immediately dash over and catch him. The two made eye contact, and then the pirate started laughing uncontrollably, which made it difficult for her to settle him back onto his feet.

She scrunched her nose and pulled away when she felt he wasn't about to fall into the water. "Gods, how much did you even have to drink anyway?"

"Ahh... I think I lost count?" The concerned look she gave him had him frowning. "Bah! So what if I'm drunk? What are you gonna do about it? Tie me up and use me? Oh... Please. I wouldn't mind that." His comment had her backing away from him.

Bishop spoke up again. "Ah, a man after my own heart. Only it wouldn't be  _me_ getting tied up, now would it, ladyship?"

She groaned. "Keep dreaming, Ranger. Come on, let's keep going."

As they walked, Jack hummed something under his breath. Some type of shanty? Who the hell even knew? Once they neared the ship, he walked over to the elf and hooked his arm around her's. "Come on, Dragonborn. Let's go get drunk!"

"Drunker? I think he means drunker." Bishop walked up to the two and pushed Jack away from her. "And it'd be a good idea for you to  _not_ put your hands on her. Remember, she's got a crazy-ass voice, Jack." From off to the side, Wyllin muttered a 'thank you' under her breath.

The captain gave Bishop a dumbfounded expression, and then looked towards Wyllin. "You see the way he's leering at us? It's like he thinks we're a couple pieces of horker meat!"

"Oh, I can  _assure_ you that I find her far more appealing than that."

"Are you two done yet?" She groaned. "I think your ship's just up ahead, Jack."

He looked over at it. "Ah! Yes! Here it is!"

She looked it over. "This is it?"

"Lass, it's not the size of the boat that matters. It's the oars you're steering with, thank you!" He laughed and then hiccuped. "You know, Dragonborn, you're a real... Really classy lady. How's about I show you me Jolly Roger."

"Put your oars on her rudder and you're  _dead,_ buddy," Bishop growled, stepping in between the two.

Immediately, Jack put his hands up in self defense. "Woah there. I was only kidding. How 'bout I at least offer you and the miss a few drinks."

"You know what? I could sure as fuck use that!" She pushed the Ranger out of the way. "Please, show us the way, Captain Jack."

Her accepting the offer had the pirate grinning from ear to ear. He eagerly had the two follow him aboard. The crew had welcomed them in for the evening. While Bishop was extremely reluctant, he eventually found himself at home with Jack's alcohol supply, watching his Bosmer companion as she danced around with Karnwyr to the tune one of the crewmates was playing. Despite the headache it was getting to the ship, their time there did turn out to be pretty entertaining. By the time they'd left, the moon was already high in the sky.

Wyllin, while still mostly coherent, hadn't known  _exactly_ how much Bishop had to drink while they were there. That was until she looked back and saw him stumbling about as he climbed up the steps to get off the docks. Her brows furrowed at the sight. "Are you... Okay?"

When he caught her gaze, he gave her a drunken smile. "Ladyship, come here! You look like... Like a comfy place to lay my head." He slurred, before chuckling to himself. "Y'know, for a pirate... What was his name? Joe? Bob? No. Jock? No! Jackass! That's what it was. Yeah, his rum is  _awful!_ I can still taste it in the back of... Back of my throat! I don't think even that Winking Skeever shit could wash it out."

"The pirate's name is Jack. The only one making an ass out of himself right now is you, Ranger."

"Hey! I resen... Resemble that remark! Wait, shit, uh. No, that's not... No... Resent! I meant resent!" As he said that, he stumbled a bit more. Wyllin immediately grabbed him and supported him as he made his way up the steps. While the hand that found its way to her ass definitely wasn't appreciated, and she swatted it off as they went.

As they neared the gate, she looked back over towards him. "How many drinks did you actually  _have,_ anyway? Hopefully it wasn't  _all_ rum."

"Let me see, ah... One, two... Th-three..." He frowned and squinted into the distance. "What's the number that comes after three?"

"Divines help me..." The elf mumbled. "And how impolite of you to not save any for a lady."

He chuckled again. "Maybe I did. May... Maybe you should... Take a look down my throat!" He leaned over towards her, but was only met by the hand of the arm not supporting him shoving his face away again.

"Ugh, you  _reek._ " She tilted her own head away in disgust. "Maybe you should get some rest, and then a bath in the morning once you've sobered up."

"Or we both could take a bath right now. I could... Wash your back for you, ladyship."

"Not happening."

"Tch. No fun." His eyes rolled. "I could at least use you as a pillow, though. You definitely do look... Look comfy. Might need someone to watch over me in my bed tonight, ladyship."

She managed to get the door to the Winking Skeever opened. "Well, I was planning on us  _not_ sharing a room, but your drunk self is right about something. Maybe you shouldn't be alone tonight. Not in this state. Karnwyr isn't allowed inside, so..."

"Hah! You're just making up excuses. You know you wan... Want me. I can see it in those pretty green eyes of yours."

"When has a look of complete and utter repulsion ever signaled that someone  _wants_ you?"

The majority of the patrons in the tavern had turned to look at the scene the two were causing. Bishop was far too wasted to notice, but Wyllin was practically dying from embarrassment on the inside. Still, she pushed on through the crowd and towards her room. Meanwhile, her drunk companion remained ever persistent.

"Oh please, it's all just an act. I've seen the way you look at me sometimes. Why don't we just cut the shit and get naked already?"

"Because  _I don't want to._ You better fucking respect that, or I'm gone." The level of anger in her voice must've gotten through to him. He fell silent after, and allowed Wyllin to practically carry him up the steps. Once she was able to set him down on the bed, she moved to close the door. Bishop was struggling a little to get his jacket off, and was thankful for the help his companion provided. Funnily enough, he avoided making comments towards her. After it and his boots were off, he moved to lay down on the bed. She moved to lay down next to him, and eventually curled up by his side, with his arm wrapped around her. She watched for a moment as he stared up at the ceiling, before finally hatching a plan for a bit of revenge. "Hey, Bishop."

His eyes flickered over towards her. "What?"

Maybe it was a bit cruel to take advantage of his inebriated state, but she didn't really care at that point. "I have a question to ask you. I think the world might end if I don't find out the answer!"

"Go ahead and shoot then."

"What's your middle name?"

"Florence... I mean Laurance!" He grunted after saying that. When he saw her on the verge of laughing, he explained a little further. "My parents had this debt, alright? They needed to pay it off and this damned tights-wearing noble wanted them to name me after him."

"Sounds like the name of someone who spends his time picking daisies out in his garden..." She smirked at his clearly unamused expression. "You know what? I think it suits you."

"Ah shut up... I'm going to... Get some sleep." He passed out pretty much right after he said that. Wyllin was still chuckling to herself. Eventually, she settled down and rested her head against his chest, falling asleep pretty quickly due to the events of that evening wearing her out.

* * *

 

Bishop's head was killing him when he finally woke up the next morning. He blinked a few times and then examined his surroundings. It appeared as though he'd woken up before Wyllin did for once. Though she was on top of him enough that moving around would probably disturb her. He kind of didn't even  _want_ to move around anyway. Every little thing he did only worsened the throbbing in his head, so he eventually just resigned himself to laying there with his eyes closed until she woke up.

"Morning... Florence." The elf's voice had him opening his eyes again and looking at her.

"No, it's Laur..." He stopped himself. "Wait, I didn't tell you that, did I? I must've been severely piss ass drunk last night if I told you... That."

She quietly laughed and sat up. "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

He groaned and sat up as well. One of his hands pressed itself against his forehead. "Look, did we... Did anything... Happen?"

"Well, you got pretty cuddly. Other than that, no. Nothing else really happened."

"I don't think I could be described as 'cuddly', ladyship." The throbbing pain in his head worsened a bit and he groaned. "Look, it doesn't matter. We have better things to do then talk about whatever happened last night. Just remind me that, if we hit the tavern tonight... Eugh. No rum."

"Noted," She responded. "Anyways, I was going to get a bath and then grab something to eat."

He moved his hand from his face to look at her, and managed a smirk. "Oh, really? Mind if I join you?"

"Hmm... Well, you're more than welcome to join me for breakfast. For the bath, however, I think I'll pass."

"Have it your way then."

With that, she got up and headed out of the room. There was still things to do before she was to meet Malborn in a few days time. It was best if she got cracking on that instead of pestering the hungover Ranger. There would be plenty of time for that  _after_ she figured out what the Thalmor were up to.  


	5. Infiltration

"Our mutual friend sent me."

Malborn's attention was caught by Wyllin's words. He looked up from the mug he was nursing at and frowned at the woman he saw. "Really?  _You're_ the one she sent? I hope she knows what she's doing."

She sat down and sighed. The two then began to speak in hushed tones, drowned out to everyone but them by the bard's music and other typical tavern noises. "Just tell me what's going to be happening. I trust she explained the change of plans?"

"Yes, she did. Elenwen, our Lady Ambassador, is going to be holding a reception in two days' time. This is our best opportunity. They'll be too focused on the guests and making sure everything is going well with them. Meanwhile, you'll be sneaking through a different entrance I'll have opened for you. It'll be guarded, but I'm sure you can take care of them easily if Delphine is trusting you."

"A few Thalmor are nothing. As long as I don't have the whole embassy on me, I'll be fine."

"A good majority of them will be distracted. Your problem will come with Elenwen's solar, where she keeps whatever information she'll have on the dragons. From where you're entering, that building will be off to your left. Don't waste time. Get in, get out, and be done with it."

"Of course. The less time I'm surrounded by Thalmor, the better."

"Delphine can fill you in on the rest. Look, I need to go before anyone begins to get suspicious. I sure hope this is all worth it."

"It will be, don't worry. Good luck." She stood up and was about to turn away, but paused and looked to the other Bosmer one more time. "And Malborn."

He gave her a questioning look. "Yes?"

"If something happens and you need to get out of there, don't hesitate. Windhelm's your best bet. The Stormcloaks do everything they can to keep the Dominion out of Eastmarch. Call on me if you need help. I'll give you a hand."

He could see the sympathy in his kinsman's eyes. Delphine told her something. He sighed and nodded. "Alright. Thank you."

She gave him a half hearted smile, and then made her way out of the tavern. Right after she did, she caught sight of Bishop and Karnwyr standing just by the entrance.

"So, what's the plan, ladyship?" He asked.

"Hmm? You're coming along?" She was genuinely surprised.

"I can't just have you face off with these Altmer alone. Where's the fun in that?"

The Bosmer grinned at him. "I can't complain about my odds then. We do make a good team."

"That we do."

"Come on, let's find some place more secluded. I'd rather not talk about things with everyone around."

"Secluded eh? Do you have other plans for me as well?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just follow me."

* * *

 

Two days passed. Delphine had informed Wyllin about everything she knew of the embassy and the best way to go about things. Stealth it was. All she had to do was wait for the sun to set. In the meantime, she and Bishop made their way to the forests surrounding the embassy.

Instead of her normal Bosmeri armor, she opted for a darker set of gear to better conceal herself. Her hair was tamed back and tied up so she could easily hide it inside of her hood, and she had a face mask that'd been settled around her neck for the time being. Almost every other inch of her body was concealed in dark leather, and her bag was left back at the inn so she could travel light. The only things she had on her were her typical weapons and her belt bag. As she was situating herself in the unfamiliar leathers, someone came up behind her, and his hands settled at her hips.

"You know, you look really good in this color," He cooed into her ear.

The elf blushed all the way to her ears and turned to face Bishop. She quickly backed out of arm's reach and frowned at him. "Maybe warn me about your presence next time. I was about to Shout you off this mountain."

He chuckled and moved towards her again. Fingers brushed against her cheek and... Damn. Why was she leaning into his touch? "I doubt you'd do that to me." He glanced towards the sky, which was dotted with stars. The sun was just about sunken below the horizon. "I think we still have a little time before we need to go face off against those elves." He looked back towards her. "As nice as that armor looks on you, I wouldn't complain about seeing you stripped out of it."

That had her blushing even harder. Fuck. Pull yourself together, Springlock. "I..." She lost her ability to speak. Perfect.

"Hmm?" He leaned in closer to her, face only inches away from hers.

She found her hands at his chest. It would've been so easy to close the gap between the two of them. A small part of her wanted to. Thoughts of what he could do with her -  _to_ her - invaded her mind, and he'd undoubtedly willingly go along with them. If only she'd just... No. No no no.  _Bad idea._  They had other things that they needed to do at that point. She pushed him away and quickly turned to face the wall of the embassy that she could barely see in the dim lighting. "C-come on. We have information to gather."

He eyed her skeptically as she began to walk away, but soon shrugged and followed along.

Her hood was pulled over her head, and the mask was pulled up. The blush that still coated her face was still slightly visible, but she tried her best to shake it away. By the point they reached the gate Malborn had left unlocked for her, she'd managed to brush off that encounter for the most part. Finally, she turned back to Bishop and whispered to him. "Ready?"

"After you," He responded, pulling his own hood up after doing so.

They'd undoubtedly need to fight whoever laid just beyond that gate, but she was prepared to do so. Her bow was drawn in one hand, and she used the other to push the gate open. It immediately caught the attention of the four Thalmor in the area. Two guards were by the gate, one was walking around, and a Justicar stood at the entrance to the solar. Their attention immediately turned towards the intruders.

"Quickly, get to the Ambassador!" The wizard ordered the formerly roaming guard. Not a chance. He was immediately struck to his knees by an arrow to his leg from Wyllin, and Bishop's then found its way to his skull. The wizard cursed and readied his spells, and the two remaining guards drew their blades.

"Split up," Wyllin told her partner, and he quickly followed her command.

The soldiers chased after the Bosmer, while the wizard went after the Nord. The former dodged a few of her enemies' attacks, while the latter barely managed to avoid the lightning being shot his way. He shot at the Justicar from a distance while Wyllin replaced her bow with her blades. She deflected a few attacks and managed to stab through a weak spot right where the one soldier's glove ended. He dropped his weapon and hissed in pain. Meanwhile, the other continued to advanced, swinging his sword much more recklessly. His blade collided with her daggers as she tried to ward off the attack. Something off to her side regrettably caught her attention.

Bishop cried out in pain when a bolt finally managed to reach him, striking him in the arm, forcing him to drop his bow. The wizard grinned menacingly as he approached the wounded Nord, who was currently clutching his injured arm. Shit. Wyllin bashed her shoulder into the armored abdomen of the soldier, causing him to stumble back. The feeling of colliding with his chestpiece definitely stung, but she was too focused on what she was doing to be bothered by it. Then she charged towards the wizard. The next, and last, thing that bastard felt was the bite of her dagger as it sunk into his neck. She ripped it out and watched as he tried to grip at the wound, blood pouring from it. There wasn't any hope for survival, and he was downed.

Bishop looked at Wyllin in shock as she appeared in view once his attacker fell over. Then he noticed the soldiers coming up behind her. "Look out!"

She turned around and was just in time to ward off the uninjured soldier's attack. The second one did land a hit on her with his mace, however, which he did need to wield in his other hand. It struck her chest and caused her to stagger backwards. Just as he was about to raise his weapon again, an arrow struck his injured arm. Bishop had been aiming for a more vital part of his body, but the pain from the lightning had his aim off. Still, the attack and proceeding cry from the soldier distracted both of the Altmer, and Wyllin was able to regain herself and get out of the way. Her companion then rushed in with his dagger. Luckily, the bolt hadn't hit his dominant arm.

The Bosmer ran into the wounded soldier and knocked him to the ground along with her. Both blades sank into his stomach, and then one pulled out and sliced across his neck. He was gone. Though the other Thalmor was prepared to strike her from behind. That attack never came because Bishop shoved him away. She got to her feet and turned towards the two. The Nord was warding off each of the soldier's attacks, trying to find an opening to strike the bastard down. As he did this, she decided to sneak around. A push from behind knocked the Altmer off balance and he fell forward. The moment his opponent saw the back of his neck was exposed, he drove his dagger into it.

As the final Thalmor was finished off, Wyllin took the time to clean off her blades with a rag from her pouch, and then sheathed them again. Her attention then turned towards the still very wounded Bishop and she walked over. She focused on the straps of his jacket and swiftly began to undo them.

"What the fuck-"

"Shh!" She hushed. Once she got it undone, she pushed the leather to the side in order to find his wound. "My healing magic doesn't work through clothes or armor." She examined where the lightning struck and then raised her hand to it. An incantation was mumbled under her breath and while her fingers against his wound had him hissing in pain at first, a wave of relief soon followed.

He examined the spot she just healed. "There isn't even a scar."

His words had her nodding. "Larger wounds or ones that have already had the time to partly heal tend to leave them. This was an easy fix though, luckily. How do you feel?"

"Better than I did before I got it," He replied as he pulled his jacket back over his arm.

"Good. It revitalizes you as well, at the expense of more of my magicka reserves." She backed away from him and then turned her attention to the solar. "Come on, we have information to find." As she began to walk towards the entrance, a hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder to stop her.

"Wyllin."

She looked back towards him. "What?" The look in his eyes caught her off guard. She couldn't quite describe it. A mixture of shock and confusion, maybe?

"I could've died back there. Fuck,  _you_ could've died by turning your back on those soldiers to help me. I..." He sighed as he tried to find the right words. "Thank you for saving me. I never really expect anyone to do that anymore."

She chuckled softly. "Saving people's asses is kinda my thing. Besides, I can't have my Ranger dying on me here."

"Tch,  _your_ Ranger?"

"Oh hush." She nudged him playfully. "You know what I meant. Anyways, you're welcome. It's the least I could do for how much you've helped me. Let's keep going."

He nodded and followed her into the solar. Immediately, they heard voices from a different room, and she made sure to close the door quietly. The two in the room were arguing about something involving a payment. Wyllin wasn't listening in much, and instead focused on the face Bishop was aiming at a guard in front of them, who was faced away from the door. She grabbed his arm and shook her head.

He furrowed his brows, silently asking why she stopped him. Her head gestured towards the set of stairs that led to the upper part of the solar. Then she began to sneak off towards it. Everyone seemed distracted enough to not noticed the two of them, and they slipped off up the steps. Elenwen's office was in clear view once they got up top and the Bosmer quickly made her way over to it. She made short work of the lock on the desk drawer, and eventually opened it to find a leatherbound dossier, with a letter addressed to Elenwen herself on top of it. She pulled both of them out.

Skimming through the pages of the dossier, she found it was about Delphine, which had her frowning. She'd need to bring that to the Breton. Luckily, it fit neatly into her side pouch. Then she read the letter.

"What does it say?" Bishop whispered.

"The Thalmor don't know about the dragons," She responded, causing a grunt from the Ranger. "But, they seem to think they've found someone who does."

"Hmm?"

"He's in an interrogation room just below the embassy. Hopefully he does have information that can be useful to us." She examined the drawer one more time and spotted a key. She picked it up and examined it. "I bet this is the key to that interrogation room as well. Come on, we can't waste anymore time here."

They found another set of stairs that led them down two flights of steps. The conversation coming from the other room had ceased a short while before they came down. The second set of stairs had them in a small room with a solid-looking door off to the side. Wyllin inserted the key, and the lock came undone. She smirked and then pushed the door open. The sounds of an argument on the floor below had her pausing.

"Stop! Please! I don't know anything else. Don't you think I would've told you already?"

His interrogator growled. "Let's try this again."

"I told you already, I don't- Agh!" The sound of the prisoner being struck had Wyllin wincing.

She looked back towards Bishop, who just nodded and readied his bow. Then she began to slowly sneak further into the interrogation chamber. Her own bow was readied.

"Listen! I told you already. There's an old man in Riften. He... He could be this Nord you're looking for! He's old and seems kind of crazy."

"What  _else_ do you know?"

"That's it! I swear! You... You can talk with the guild!"

"We don't associate ourselves with thieves, Etienne." Those were the last words the Altmer could get out before he was distracted by a yelp of pain from the soldier just outside the room. The interrogator dashed out just in time to see her struck down by an arrow to her skull. He then turned in the direction it came from.

Bishop stood there with a grin across his face. Immediately, the Thalmor readied a spell. Right as he was about to attack, an arrow not from the Nord sprouted from his chest. He only had a moment to process the fact he'd been distracted to allow the other one to get a clear shot on him, and then he was killed off as well.

Wyllin broke into a sprint towards the cell Etienne was in.

He looked up towards her. "Wh... What? Who are you?"

"I'm a friend. No time to explain. You need to get out of here." She used the key on the shackles, and it luckily worked. The severely injured prisoner crumpled to the floor. She quickly fetched a healing potion from her bag and handed it to him. "Here, drink this."

"Thanks." He grabbed it and downed it, making a disgusted look when the taste hit him. "Ugh. Well... Come on, I saw them drag a body this way and drop it through a hatch."

"You go on head. I'm not finished here yet."

"Well, good luck then." He got to his feet and then headed off.

She exited the cell behind him and examined the room. A book sat atop a desk by the one wall. Upon further inspection, she realized it was another dossier. It was on a man named Esbern. Was he the one one that Justicar was interrogating Etienne about? The mention of him being a Blades member confirmed that thought. She closed it and looked towards Bishop. Just as she was about ready to speak, the door they'd entered through opened. Two soldiers walked through it, and both her and Bishop ducked out of view.

"Those bodies out there prove it. Someone's gotten in and-"

"Silence!" The soldier who ordered that looked around. "We know you're here, infiltrator! Come out!"

Bishop and Wyllin locked eyes from across the room. The former had a clearer view on the soldiers. He quickly took aim as they walked down the steps, and the Bosmer snuck off towards where they'd be entering the lower floor from. Her blades were drawn. As soon as they entered the area, the soldier in front was shot at, and the one behind him was tackled. The Bosmer's blades made quick work of the Thalmor below her, while the other one was distracted trying to find the one who hit him. That never came. An arrow was shot into his neck, and then a blade finished him off.

"Nice work," Bishop complimented.

"Like I said before, we make a good team."

He grinned. "That we do."

"If I can interrupt..." Both heads turned towards Etienne. "The trapdoor is locked."

"Leave that to me." The elf walked over and took out her lockpicking kit once more. It was tough to get open, but she eventually did so.

"You're impressive with those picks. Do you happen to be a member of the Thieves' Guild in Riften?" Etienne asked.

The words caused Wyllin to pause and frown. Just the mere thought of someone assuming that made her blood boil, but she refrained from chewing him out. "Not even close. I just learned it to help me out when enemies have artifacts or lost items I'm after locked in chests or behind gates in dungeons. The amount of fetch quests I've been on throughout Tamriel is... Staggering." She shook her head. "Anyway. Let's get out of here."

Once they were out in the open, Etienne thanked the two for getting them out of the cell. He told Wyllin to look him up in Riften if she needed anything before heading out. Afterwards, she and Bishop decided to make their way back to Solitude. Camping would've been preferable, but her gear was left behind at the Winking Skeever, so it really wouldn't have been practical to try. Karnwyr eagerly greeted them outside the entrance to Solitude, and then followed them in as they went, only to be forced to stay by the entrance to the Skeever.

"So," Bishop began as they made their way to the top floor of the inn. "What do you say about me getting you out of that armor now?"

Flashbacks from before the embassy infiltration had the elf blushing once more. She turned to look up at him. "I say... You need to keep trying, Ranger." She smirked.

"That isn't a complete no. I'll take it. You'll come around in time, princess."

She groaned. "Again with that 'princess' thing. I'm going to get some sleep."

"Alright, goodnight then."

"Night." She turned around to head into her room, and Bishop left for his. Once she was changed, she crawled into bed and curled up under the covers. Her renewed thoughts of earlier had her shifting around a bit, slightly frustrated with herself for declining. She managed to fall asleep at one point during the night, but thoughts of him still plagued her in her dreams.

_\- Dream -_

_He was practically on top of her, grinning wildly down at the little elf below him. She'd been stripped of her clothing and laid before him on the inn's bed, completely exposed. It was equal parts scary and exhilarating. He held a predatory look in his eyes as he examined her naked body, and it had her blushing heavily._

_She could feel his hand against her bare thigh, fingers gently tracing shapes against her tanned skin. Her breathing hitched as he gently trailed closer to that spot in between her legs, and she squirmed under his touch._

_"Someone's needy," He chuckled. Then he pulled his hand away, which brought a frustrated whine from the Bosmer._

_"Tease," She mumbled._

_He leaned over her, but kept a small gap between them just like he'd done in the forest. No, she wasn't going to have any of it. She reached up and gripped fistfuls of his hair and then pulled him down the rest of the way, capturing him in her kiss. He welcomed it and moved to cup her cheek. He pulled back after a moment, and then moved to her jawline. A trail of quick kisses went to her ear, which he nipped at._

_"So you've wanted me this badly all this time?" He whispered. He could feel her body tremble, and see the way she ached through her facial expression alone. "All you had to do was say the word, sweetness."_

_"Just keep going," She murmured._

_He looked back at her. "I want to enjoy the sight before me."_

_"Gods be damned!" She groaned. "Please, just... I want you."_

_That statement had him grinning again. He finally did as she asked. More kisses trailed down to her neck, and she found her head leaning to the side to offer him more room. As he did this, his hand found its way back to where it'd been before. Fingers teased at her, which only had her squirming around more. The grip in his hair loosened, and she instead raked her fingers through it as a gentle form of praise. He moved further down on the bed. Both arms wrapped around her from under her thighs. Then he kissed at the inner side of one a few times, pleased with the soft moans he produced from it._

_"Nnh... Bishop..." She was already breathing heavily and it was hard getting words out. It'd been so long since someone paid this kind of attention to her, and she was enjoying every second of it. "More. Please..."_

_He seemed to know what she wanted. Just before his tongue met where she'd been aching for him, everything around her seemed to fade. Damnit... No..._

_\- End dream -_

The Bosmer bolted upright in bed, gasping. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was struggling to breath. Her face was burning red. Shit. Thank the Gods he wasn't in the room with her. She looked through the window. The sun was rising at least. She'd slept through the night. After stumbling out of the bed, she made her way over to her belongings, trying to ignore the heat between her legs. Damnit.

After getting dressed and calming down, she gathered everything up and made her way out of the room. They'd need to get back to Riverwood and talk to Delphine. The sooner, the better. Once she made her way to Bishop's room, she knocked on the door. "Hey, you up?" Footsteps could be heard as he shuffled towards the door, and then opened it up. By the Divines. He was shirtless. She backed up a bit in shock. "I... Um..." She sighed as she tried to pull herself together. "Please don't tell me you have someone else in there with you. We really need to get going soon." Part of that was said due to her impatience, and the other was due to... Something else. Something she wouldn't admit to herself at the time.

No, it was definitely just impatience. That was all it was.

Her comment had him laughing. "Don't worry, ladyship. You just caught me a few minutes after I got up. Besides, I have my eyes set on someone better than some fleabitten tavern wench." He looked her over, making it clear who he meant.

She grumbled profanities under her breath. "So, you'd prefer a wild Bosmer often covered in the blood of her enemies then?"

"Not a perfect little gal, is she?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "More's the pity."

Wyllin shook her head. "Well, anyway, we have places to be. Get your shit together and meet me in the tavern. We'll eat and then head out." She then swiftly turned around and headed off, leaving Bishop to get ready for their journey ahead.

The carriage ride was awkward, and Bishop could tell she had something occupying her thoughts. He didn't pry, however. After that infiltration the previous night, she probably had a lot to think about. Once the carriage arrived in Whiterun, the two got off and set out towards Riverwood.


	6. Taking Chances

Delphine looked relieved as Wyllin entered the secret downstairs room. "Thank the Gods. You're back, and in one piece. What did you find out?"

"The Thalmor don't know much about the dragons, and definitely didn't cause them."

"I find that hard to believe."

The Dragonborn frowned. "Well, don't. Here, I found this..." She pulled the dossiers from her pouch and handed them to the Breton. "One's about you. I figured you'd want this in your hands instead of the Thalmors'. Then the second's about someone they've been trying to track down. Some old Blades member named Esbern?"

"Esbern?" Delphine gasped. "He's  _alive?"_

"Seems so."

"By the Nine! That crazy old man. I thought the Thalmor got to him years ago." She took the dossiers and opened up the one on Esbern. "They seem to think he's hiding out in Riften. Probably the Ratway then. That's where I'd go. Esbern's one of the Blades greatest lore experts. If anyone knows how to stop these dragons, it's him. Please, go to Riften and find him. If you have trouble when you get there, talk to a Nord named Brynjolf. He's... Well connected."

'Well connected'? She didn't like the sound of that. Still, she nodded. "Alright. It's off to Riften then. Thank you, Delphine. Do you want the armor you lent me for this back by the way?"

"Keep it. I have no use for it."

"Okay. I'll be heading out then." After saying that, she turned around and headed off.

Karnwyr greeted them outside of the Sleeping Giant. Wyllin stopped to pat him on the head and then waved for him to follow them.

"So, we're going to the Rift eh?" Bishop asked as they stood outside the inn. Then he frowned as she walked down the steps and made a left. "Hey, uh, you know the road to it is to the east, right?"

"Yes, but I need to make a stop somewhere first."

"Where?"

"Falkreath. My home's there."

He looked a little surprised. "You have a house?"

"Yep. Purchased it a short while after becoming a Companion. I helped out the Jarl with quite a few problems in the area. I was actually given the title of Thane maybe a week or so before all of this dragon shit happened." She sighed. "I don't visit there much anymore, despite how much I adore the forested areas of Falkreath. Too much has been going on. Luckily, I have a Housecarl and maid to look after it while I'm gone." She looked back at him and frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah."

"You look concerned. I promise you I'm not leading you to some kind of trap."

"No, it's not that. I just... Have some history in Falkreath. Bad history."

"You're not wanted there or anything, are you?"

"Not that I know of. I haven't had anyone trying to collect some bounty on my head, at least."

"Alright then, you should be fine." She turned to face forward again. "Don't worry, we won't be taking too long."

"Fine," He said after hesitating for a moment.

They made their way from Whiterun hold to the ash-coated remains of Helgen. The fires had long died out, but the places was left a desolate ghost town. Wyllin looked around when they entered and frowned. It really showed the devastation a dragon could bring upon a settlement. She was surprised bandits or necromancers hadn't claimed it as their new home yet, but she wasn't complaining. They decided to instead go around it as best as they could, and eventually made it to the other side.

As they walked, she spoke up. "The dragon that did all of that back there is the one that's been raising the others."

"Were you there when it happened?"

"No, but complaints from locals in Riverwood had the Companions sending Vilkas and I to check it out. We arrived a short while after, but saw this... Huge, black-scaled dragon as it flew off. All those burning buildings... And the scent of of charred human flesh. It made me sick. According to the two I could get out of a nearby cave that the keep could be exited through, not many survived. The blacksmith in Riverwood had me head back to Whiterun to talk with the Jarl about it." The elf let out a dry laugh. "The city guards wouldn't let me in at first until they realized I was with the Companions and knew something about the attack."

"Sounds like an adventure."

"I was sent to help Farengar, the Court Wizard, with his research. It was maybe a week or so after that I went to check back in and a dragon had attacked a watchtower near the city. Then, poof. Suddenly this little  _Bosmer,_ of all races, is the Nordic legend known as Dragonborn. I found out later that this dragon was raising the others when I went after another one with Delphine some time later."

"And you devoted yourself to stopping him?"

"Yep. I mean, I'm the only one who can permanently kill dragons. I'd feel bad if I didn't do my part."

"You do realize that you don't owe the people of this province anything, right?"

She frowned and looked over at him. "What?"

"I mean, you're putting yourself on the line for all these people when they don't even know who you actually are. They either see you as a Companion or they see you as Dragonborn, and wouldn't give two shits about you if you didn't have those titles. Yeah, they  _definitely_ deserve your help."

"Just so you know, the entire world will probably die if someone doesn't do something about the dragon menace. The moment you find another person who can absorb their souls, you let me know. Maybe I'll  _consider_ retiring."

"That's the kind of stubbornness that can get someone killed, ladyship."

"I've been putting my life on the line for months now. I can manage just fine. You don't have to put up with it though. Remember, you're tagging along willingly now, and you can go crawl back to some tavern and waste your life away there instead of dealing with me." He stopped walking, and then she stopped as well when she didn't hear his footsteps. She turned around and glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest. The fiery look in her eyes had Karnwyr shrinking behind his brother. "Well? What'll it be?"

He stared back at her for a moment, matching her expression. Then, his own softened and he chuckled. "What would be the fun in that? You'll be going around chasing after dragons while I sit in a tavern, trying to drown out the bard before my ears bleed. Maybe I'll stick around for a little while longer, princess."

She huffed and shook her head. "I still need to break you of that little name you use for me. Let's just keep going."

* * *

 

They arrived in Falkreath a short while later. Wyllin had noticed how Bishop was antsy in the area, but decided to not push him on the matter. If he wanted to tell her himself, then he'd do so in time. He examined her manor as she went to unlock the door. It was impressive, to say the least. The large manor overlooked Lake Ilinalta, and came complete with a small garden and outdoor smithing area off to the side. He had to move out of the way quickly when a chicken tried crossing the path right in front of him. "You... Own this place? For some reason, I was expecting a little shack deep in the forest. You don't strike me as the type to have something like  _this_ for a residence."

"I'm full of surprises," She responded simply as she opened the door to Lakeview. Then she beckoned him to follow her in. "Like I said though, I haven't visited a whole lot since I've had all this stuff going on. Rayya and Iddari, my Housecarl and maid, look after it for the most part. I'll come by occasionally to drop things off and pay Iddari. If I'm lucky, I'll get to sleep in my bedroom before I head back out."

He walked through the door as she spoke. Mentions of her bedroom caught his interest. "I wonder how warm that bed of yours is, ladyship."

"Well, keep wondering then." His scoff at her words had her giggling. She made her way to the back room, which held a small armory and hatch that led to her basement. From her bag, she produced the armor Delphine had given her and found a spot to hang it up. There wasn't much of a need for her to travel around with it.

"How in Oblivion do you carry so much in that pack of yours?"

She looked over to him, and then to her bag. "Oh, right. It's enchanted. I got it as a gift from the Jarl of Hjaalmarch after taking care of a coven of vampires that'd been causing her issues. Can I just say that Sanguinare Vampiris is a bitch to get cured from? Luckily, vampire dust actually helps with diseases. Ironic, no? Anyways, this pack can't carry  _everything,_ but it saves me a few trips here in between adventures."

"So, did we come here just so you can put that armor away?"

"Nope, I wanted to stock up on some supplies as well. Potions and whatnot." She exited that room and headed up the steps. The first door to come across on the second floor was her room, and the next was for her guests. Towards the end of the hall was a doorway that led into her alchemy and enchanting area. She was... A lot better with the former than the latter. The Bosmer examined the alchemical ingredients she had in stock. Thankfully, the garden outside held a good amount of the ones she commonly used, so Iddari had them stocked up. She pulled out her mortar and pestle, and then got to work.

Bishop watched from a little ways away as she worked ingredients and small amounts of water into smooth liquids, which would then be bottled up and stoppered. She'd gotten through a few of them before he spoke up. "So, how good  _is_ your alchemy anyway?"

"I'm no expert at it, but I know enough to get by," She replied, not looking up from her workstation. "Healing and stamina potions, magic resistance potions, certain salves, maybe a few basic poisons. A lot of the more advanced things I use are from shops though. When I contracted Sanguinare Vampiris, the alchemist in Morthal taught me some things to help with diseases as well." Not that she put it to much use. Outside of her natural abilities to resist disease due to her race, she had other factors at play that kept her from contracting anything.

"You're not going to go on about all the cases of Rockjoint and Witbane you've cured since then, are you?"

She chuckled. "No, I don't really put these skills to use all that much outside of making a few potions to carry on me." She sat her pestle down and carefully emptied the liquid for a healing potion into a bottle, and then corked it. Once she was done, she placed the finished potions into her side pouch. "Alright, that should do for now. I think I'll gather up a few things from the kitchen while we're here, and then we can actually head out to the Rift." She walked past him and headed down the steps.

After finishing up in the kitchen, the two left the house. Bishop was still a little on edge until they crossed the border back into Whiterun hold. It was hard for Wyllin to not notice, but she did her best to remain quiet on the matter. Everyone had their pasts. They traveled through Whiterun and into Eastmarch quietly. A bear had given them trouble at one point, and then a couple of wild mages. Bishop narrowly missed getting his face melted off, but Wyllin still needed to heal burn marks on his one arm.

His jacket was off to allow her to examine the wound. "I think you got burnt on purpose to get my hands on you," She mumbled under her breath as green wisps of magic engulfed the burn when she touched it. It faded away soon after.

"I think I could get you to have your hands all over me if I use just the right words, and for other reasons than healing a wound."

She looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"You heard me."

"I have to admit, it's tempting." Her hands moved to his exposed shoulders, and she rubbed at them. "You know how to keep in shape. I mean, I definitely wouldn't mind a bite or two of this sweet-looking body of yours."

"Sweetness, there are much more pleasant ways for me to get inside of you."

"Oh, I'm sure there are. Maybe one day you'll be able to show me." She smirked, and then moved her hands down to pat his chest. "Get your jacket back on. We have an old man to find."

"Tease," He mumbled, but he ultimately did as she said and started following behind her again.

They entered the Rift as the sun began to set. They figured it was a good idea to break for camp and continue on in the morning. As they walked up a hill, Wyllin suddenly caught onto the fact she wasn't hearing footsteps behind her. She then turned around to face Bishop, who was staring ahead of them as though he was thinking about something. Even Karnwyr was curious about what the Nord was thinking. "What's on your mind?"

He looked back towards her. "How do you feel about surprises?"

The question had her giving him a puzzled look. "It depends on what kind of 'surprise' you mean."

"I want to show you something. It's not too far from here."

"I thought we were going to-"

"We can set up camp there, don't worry. You already dragged me over to Falkreath for a detour. I think we'll be just fine taking this one as well. Just follow me, and get a good look at  _my_  ass while you do for once." He smirked at her and then took the lead. She reluctantly followed along. 

Given her lack of knowledge of the Rift, she really had no idea where he was taking her. The last time she was in the area, it was to get to High Hrothgar, but that felt like forever ago now. He led her across a bridge and up a hill. Eventually, a small tower that appeared to be mostly in ruins came into view. They made their way up to a catwalk. When Wyllin looked out at the view before them, her eyes widened. Even in the near darkness, she could make out a good portion of Eastmarch. Above them was the two moons and the stars, that shone brightly over Skyrim. Her breath was taken away at the sight of it all.

"Well, here we are. My first home in Skyrim. Well, kind of. It's no Throat of the World, but it's mine."

She looked back towards Bishop. "It's beautiful, Bishop... But why did you bring me here?"

"I found Karnwyr as a pup here and, like I said, it eventually became my first home in this province," He told her. He looked over at the wolf laying not too far from him and Wyllin, but then met her eyes again and continued on with what he was saying. "I haven't been here in forever, and I've never brought anyone else here before. It's... Special to me."

"It seems like it."

"This tower is still standing because of someone I knew, though he's gone now..." He trailed off for a second, probably remembering something painful from his past, but didn't linger for too long. "Anyway, I made the first good decision of my life here, and I wanted to make you part of it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Damnit. I'm not making myself clear, am I?"

"No, not exactly."

"Look, back at the embassy... What you did... It struck something in me. You could've just left me for dead back there, but you decided to save me instead. Sure, yeah. You're Dragonborn, and saving people is kind of your thing, but I never thought you would do that for someone like me."

"Well, I wasn't going to just let that bastard Justicar kill you. I was the one who dragged you into all of this, after all."

"Yeah, I guess you did." He shook his head and chuckled softly. "Here I am calling you insane for the stunts you pull, but I think I am as well for following along. That's not the point though."

"So, what  _is_  the point then?"

"You're here because trust doesn't come easy to me. In fact, it's been a long while since I've ever even  _considered_ trusting another person. But you... I..."

"You're trying to say that you trust me?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm trying to say."

She furrowed her brows and looked the Nord in front of her over. "Who are you and what have you done with Bishop?"

"Oh, for the love of-" He grunted. "Really? Bishop's standing  _right here,_ and he just took a chance and told you that he trusts you." He then stepped closer to her. "Are you able to do the same, Wyllin? Can you trust me."

His question had her thinking. She never once shrunk away from him, or showed any clear signs of caution. In fact, she was more than willing to get up close and personal with him, if only to act like an absolute tease. Eventually, she sighed. "I do put a certain amount of faith in a lot of people. It's almost mandatory for what I do, but... I always know to approach others with caution. Gods, I was even skeptical about my Housecarl in Falkreath when I first met her." She let out a half hearted laugh at the memory of her first conversation with Rayya, but her thoughts quickly returned to the matter at hand. "With you though, I don't know. Something about you lets me feel more carefree than I normally do around others. You see sides of me that I don't show anyone else in Skyrim. So, I suppose that... Yes. I do trust you. More than I do with most."

Her response had him crack a smile towards the end of it. A smile more genuine than she'd probably ever seen him wear. "That's all I needed to hear, princess." His use of that nickname had her nearly rolling her eyes, but what he did next stopped that from happening. He pulled her in close and kissed her.

She didn't stop it for some reason. Instead, her hands just moved to gently cup his face, while his were wrapped around her midsection. She couldn't tell how long it lasted, but she was saddened when it came to an end. The shock did finally hit her afterwards though. "Did you just..."

"Kiss you? It took you this long to notice?" He then chuckled.

Her lips pressed together in a firm line and she tried hard to fight back the blush that attempted to spread across her cheeks. "If it were anyone else, they would've been shouted halfway through Eastmarch."

"I guess I'll take that as a compliment then."

"You can... But this might be a better one." He wasn't given any time to respond before she pulled him back in for another kiss. Her arms draped themselves over his shoulders as he pulled her closer against him. For just that moment, everything on her mind melted away. There was no stress of being a Nordic legend with the lives of an entire province weighing on her shoulders. Instead, she felt completely at peace. That feeling was something she hadn't experienced in a long while. Too long, maybe.

When it was over, she pulled back and rested her head against his chest. Through his jacket, her sensitive ears could pick up on the sound of his heart. It was racing, but eventually began to calm down. Her eyes then closed. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it, princess," He responded, fingers running through her hair. After a moment, he realized what was going on and pulled away. Then he looked down at the confused elf and rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh. Don't go getting too soft on me now."

"Tch. Soft. As if." She shook her head. "Anyway, let's get camp started. I'm thinking we could track down a decent meal in this forest. Might need you to help me haul it back though."

"Sounds like a plan."

The two headed down the ramp and out into the forests. Karnwyr followed behind them. It wasn't long before the two of them tracked down a deer. Fresh venison. It was definitely tempting for the Bosmer, who preferred her meat to be as fresh as possible. She struck it down and then helped Bishop get it back to the tower. She then got to work at her usual routine. Skin pelt, harvest useful things, cut up meat. A slice was thrown off to the wolf, who happily devoured it. A fire was built and Bishop laid out the bedrolls underneath the standing part of the ruined structure.

Once everything was done, they sat by the flames as they ate. Wyllin watched the crackling campfire in silence, but Bishop couldn't help but look over at her every now and then. There was something going on in her mind. He could see it through the look in her eyes. What was she thinking?

Eventually, she sat her emptied plate down and stood up. "I'm going to change." She then grabbed her night clothes and headed outside of the tower, just behind a wall. After a few minutes, she was changed and headed back inside. To her surprise, a certain Ranger was nowhere to be seen. "Bishop?" She called out as she walked further in and sat her armor down by her other things, noticing the fact he'd gotten out of his jacket, gloves, and boots. Her eyes scanned the area around her. "Come on now, this isn't funny!" Right after she said that, he snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She yelped and squirmed.

"Looks like I caught myself a dragon."

"Ugh! Let me go, wolf!" She hissed before finally freeing herself from his grasp and backing away. "Maybe I should've shouted you into Eastmarch!"

He was too busy laughing to register her threat. "If only you could see how red your face is now!"

She growled and walked over to him. She grabbed him by his undershirt and pulled him to eye level. "You're a bastard."

"And yet you stick around."

"Gods only know why."

"Actually, I think I do." Those words had her giving him a confused expression. "I can see it in the way you look at me sometimes, ladyship. It's not hard to read what's going on in that pretty little head of yours." His hands settled on her hips, and she found her grip on his shirt loosening. "Now, if only you'd just act on those desires like you know you want to."

"I..." She paused, unable to come up with any sort of response to that. Memories of her dream back in Solitude had her blushing. Shit. No no no.  _Stop._ She immediately backed away from him and took a deep breath. "I need some sleep."

"Still playing hard to get, hmm?" He chuckled and shook his head. "I hope you understand that I like a chase."

"Well then you can keep on 'chasing' then." She rolled her eyes and moved over to her bedroll and sat down. "If we're going to Riften, I need all the damn strength I'm able to conserve so I can use it to restrain myself from knocking one of those thieves that run that place upside the head."

"Got a problem with thieves? I noticed how you acted when that guy the Thalmor imprisoned asked you about being one."

"It's a story I'd rather not get into right now." She laid down on her bedroll, facing away from the Ranger so he wouldn't notice the saddened expression that found its way to her face. Memories of things that happened just before she left Valenwood began to flood back.

"Alright then. I won't press it. Sleep tight, princess."

She mumbled a goodnight to him before drifting off to sleep, thoughts of her fight with her sister and everything that ensued after fading away with her consciousness. Luckily for her, that night was dreamless.


	7. A Cornered Rat

They'd reached Riften the next day, sometime late-morning. Gods, this city was the last place she wanted to be. Nothing about being surrounded by a bunch of thieving roaches sounded like fun, but she had her duties. The dragons were a threat and Esbern was their best lead.

A Riften guard caught sight of the two and approached them, catching their attention in the process. "Hold there. Before I let you two into the city, you need to pay a visitor's tax."

The elf frowned at his words. A visitor's tax? To enter this disgusting old city? Was this asshole out of his damned mind? Immediately, she was skeptical. "What's this 'tax' for?"

"For the privilege of entering the city. Why does it matter?" He wasn't the most convincing individual.

The two travelers looked at each other. They were both thinking the exact same thing. This guard was corrupt, just like the rest of the city. A silent conversation was seemingly exchanged between the two of them before Bishop just nodded his head towards the guard and watched on with an amused look as Wyllin approached this idiot.

Her arms crossed over her chest as she looked this 'guard' up and down. "A visitor's tax, you say? To enter  _this_ place? You're out of your mind. Are you even really a guard? Well, I think you better let me through, thief, before my wolf here decides you're suitable for his next meal." She gestured towards Karnwyr, who'd picked up on the fact his two companions didn't really like this guy. He was poised to pounce on the guard and rip into him if he tried anything.

The guard took one look at this growling beast and suddenly changed his entire demeanor. "Fine. You can go in. Just keep that mutt away from me." He unlocked the gate and quickly moved out of their way. "The gate's unlocked. Go in when you're ready."

The Bosmer shot him a toothy grin. "Thank you!" The tone in her voice immediately calmed down the slightly distressed wolf by her side. She then promptly headed into the city, with Karnwyr and Bishop following closely behind her. Once they were in, she patted the wolf on the head. "I'm going to get you an extra nice cut of meat for dinner tonight, Karnwyr." That had him barking happily and wagging his tail.

The Nord behind her chuckled. "You're savage, you know that?"

"That's just how you have to play with these guys. They act tough, but they're cowards at heart. Just like the guild back in Valenwood." She shook her head. "Anyway, let's keep going. I think Delphine mentioned a 'Brynjolf' character? She also said he was 'well connected'. Why don't I like the sound of that?" It was a rhetorical question, and one she knew the answer to very well. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he was with the Thieves' Guild. The thought of having to deal with them left an uneasy feeling in her stomach, but she knew she had to. Where else could she go for information on Esbern? "Well, if we're looking for a thief out during this time of day, the inn or market area might be our best bets. Maybe I could catch this man trying to cut someone's purse and signal a guard to come over and cut his hand off instead." The idea brought a devilish smile to her face. It was almost frightening. She didn't linger on the topic for too long. Instead, she just continued on down the road with a concerned-looking Bishop following her.

Then they were stopped by someone else.

"You there!" A voice called out, catching the attention of the group. "I don't know you. Are you in Riften looking for trouble?"

"No, we're only here to look for..." Wait, why should she tell this guy anything? "Actually, it's none of your damn business."

"Watch your tongue, girl," He growled, and then gave the elf before him a vicious-looking sneer. She seemed completely unfazed by it. Skeevers could look more menacing to her than a thief. "The last thing the Black-Briars need is some newcomer with a loud mouth strutting around and causing problems for them." The Black-Briars? This guy was bad news.  _Everyone_ in Skyrim knew about the Black-Briars. Wyllin was about to walk away from their conversation, but he spoke up again before she could do so. "Me? I'm Maul. I watch the streets for 'em. If you need any information on this... Whatever you're looking for, I could help, but it'll cost you."

His offer had her laughing sarcastically. "Oh, just  _fantastic_. Another person in this Gods forsaken city obsessed with money. Here I was thinking that guard out there would be the only problem. Shame on me."

Maul raised an eyebrow. "Guard, eh? Must be one of Brynjolf's boys. Not many of them are really all that bright."

"Go figure," She grunted. "Listen, I don't really get along with thieves, and I sure as hell am not going to be paying one for information. I'm just here looking for a friend down in the Ratway. Once I'm done, I'll gladly never set foot in this city again."

"Well, if you don't like thieves, the Ratway isn't going to be that fun of a place for you. They crawl all over it. If you want to know more, Brynjolf's usually skulking around the marketplace this time of day. He's the best one to go to. Just be warned that his information isn't free either."

"Why am I not surprised?" She muttered. Then she looked towards Bishop and Karnwyr. "Come on, let's get this over with." Maul waved at her as she walked further into the city. The marketplace was bustling with folks looking to buy what they needed before the sun began to set. She looked around, eyeing each person there carefully. Brynjolf was a male Nordic name. That ruled out most of the vendors and a few of the shoppers. Thieves had a remarkable ability to blend in, but there was always little quirks that gave them away. The way they carried themselves or how they observed everyone in their immediate surroundings, sizing up their next mark. For the most part, everyone just seemed normal. Well, except for one.

He stood at his own stall with several bottles of something. He carried one in his hand and flashed it at each individual who walked by, boasting about properties of the elixir within. She heard it all before from others. This guy fit the bill perfectly. He was a practiced thief. As much as Wyllin desired to rip his throat out with her teeth, she knew he was important, so she just cautiously approached him. The moment his eyes met with hers, she immediately felt uncomfortable, like he was staring into her soul. She'd be a fool to let  _anyone_ know about that though, so instead she steeled herself as he began to speak.

"Never done an honest day's work in your life for all that coin you've got on you, eh lass?" Brynjolf asked with a sly smirk. Yes, he was definitely the one she was looking for. She knew his type all too well.

His 'observation' had her genuinely confused though. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm saying you've got the coin, but you didn't earn a septim of it honestly."

"You don't know a damn thing about my wealth." She glared at him, extremely offended by his assumptions.

"Oh, but I do. I can size up my marks well. You look like you could be light on your feet and quick with your hands. Maybe you can also blend in well with crowds? You're just the type I need to help me with a little job out here."

That immediately had Wyllin taking a step back from him. "No."

"No? You're missing out on a golden opportunity here, lass."

"I'm not in the business of helping thieves. I don't even need to hear what it is you'll be asking of me. I just need to find someone down in the Ratway so I can get out of this Gods forsaken shithole."

"If you're looking in the Ratway, then you're looking for one of us. I can help you find them if you help me."

"You don't give up easily, do you? No, I don't think this one's a member of your little 'Guild'." Arguing with him wouldn't get her anywhere. She knew that. He was remarkably persistent. Threatening him like she did with the guard wouldn't exactly work either. Maybe there was some other way to persuade him. "Locating him might help out with an issue currently plaguing Skyrim, which is undoubtedly hindering your... People. Dragons are bad for business, aren't they?"

Brynjolf gave her a curious look. "So that's why you're in this city? I doubt anyone around here would know the first thing about dragons."

"I've got reason to believe an old man hiding out here might have a clue. The Ratway seems like a good place to go if you want to disappear as well."

"Aye, that it is. Well, getting rid of the dragons might be mutually beneficial to us then. There  _is_  someone in the Warrens that could fit the bill. A paranoid old man paying us good coin to keep knowledge about him hidden. Just head into the Ratway, which you can find the entrance for down below. Get to the Ragged Flagon. There's a door not too far from the bar. That'll lead you to where you'll need to go."

Wyllin managed the sweetest smile she could. "Thank you."

"And do come seek me out again if you change your mind. I could always use an extra set of hands."

Not a damn chance in the world, thief. She refrained from antagonizing him for the time being, and simply nodded. "I'll keep it in mind." With that, she turned around and walked off.

Once they were out of earshot of Brynjolf, who went back to peddling his 'wares', Bishop decided to speak again. "Well, that was surprisingly civil."

"That was my only choice if I didn't want to be searching around for hours. I wasn't about to subject myself to whatever scheme he concocted in his twisted little head either. I'm just glad he realized the usefulness of getting rid of the dragon menace. Most of his type have a one track mind."

Admittedly, he was curious as to why she acted the way she did about thieves. Someone wouldn't simply show that kind of disdain towards anyone for no actual reason. He figured it wasn't a good time to ask questions, however. Her mood was clearly soured by their encounter with Brynjolf. Even Karnwyr was shying away from her a little.

They entered the Ratway through a door under the streets of Riften. Wyllin stepped in and immediately scrunched her nose up in disgust. "Sewers. I can only imagine what we're going to run into down here." She carefully moved further in, making sure to not step on rat droppings. The sound of voices in the distance had her pausing. Two men were arguing about something involving the Guild, who must've not liked the two of them. When he mentioned heading out to guard the entrance, Wyllin immediately withdrew her bow and jumped off into a little indent in the wall that held a grate. Bishop and Karnwyr followed her lead.

As he walked by, the Bosmer took aim and fired straight into the back of his head. The sound of his friend dying and the thud that followed shortly after was enough to lure the other one towards her. She didn't even give him the chance to completely withdraw his blade before he found an arrow sprouting from his left eye. Once the two laid dead, she signaled for her companions to follow her as she headed deeper in.

"You're definitely quick to kill anyone who stands in your way," Bishop commented as he looked to two bodies over. "Remind me to never piss you off."

"I'm just ridding the world of some of its scum," She replied, shrugging her shoulders.

The next room held a bridge, but the one end was raised up, so they were unable to cross it. Instead, they'd need to jump down to the area below and head through a door to their right. Wyllin had hopped down first, followed by Bishop, and then by Karnwyr. She was about to make her way over to the door when she heard him call out to her.

When she turned to face the Ranger, she saw that he was standing in front of a door made of metal bars. "There's another one over here. The path might be quicker. Looks to be locked tight though."

She walked over and inspected the door carefully. "I think I can handle this. Give me a second." She took to a knee and opened up a satchel attached to her belt. A lockpicking kit was removed from it and she immediately got to work. It was more difficult than others she'd dealt with in the past, but she eventually heard the telltale click that marked her success, and the door swung open soon after.

Bishop eyed her over as she put away her tools. "You say you don't like thieves, but you seem to have a lot of the skills of one." He could see why that Etienne thought she was one.

"Hey! Just because I can sneak around and handle a few locks doesn't mean I've had any involvement with those bastards." She genuinely sounded offended by his observation, and the glare she shot at him... If looks could kill, he'd be dead on the floor at that point.

He immediately took a step back and raised his hands. "Woah! Easy now, ladyship. I wasn't assuming anything."

She just grunted and shook her head at him. "Come on. Let's keep going. I just want out of this damned place as soon as elvenly possible."

He followed behind her as she continued on, though he was now a little more on edge. Okay, maybe  _don't_ make comments like that towards her. Got it. How could a tiny Bosmer be even the slightest bit intimidating in the way she was? Sure, she had a freaky voice, but that was beside the point. Why did he find that aspect of her so arousing?

The next room didn't contain much. There was a table in the middle of it, with random items strewn about on it. There was a closed door to their left, which probably led them closer to the Ragged Flagon. By the table was someone dressed in pretty much nothing but rags. Wyllin and Bishop didn't really perceive him as a threat, but he immediately attacked the moment he caught sight of them.

One of Bishop's arrows impaled his leg before he could even get close. Karnwyr then sprung into action to finish off the job. He then sauntered back towards the other two as they made their way into the Flagon.

The elf braced herself as she walked in. Yep, nothing but a bunch of thieves. Fantastic. She did her best to pay them no mind as they looked her way. They all knew that she didn't really fit in with them, but no one bothered to stop her as she went. Instead, they just remained quiet and carefully watched to make sure she didn't start any trouble. As it turned out, trouble was going to find her.

"You!" A voice called out, immediately catching the attention of everyone in the Flagon. A man in commoner's clothing walked over to her. He was a shorter-than-average Nord with stringy hair and some attempt at a beard growing on his face. "You're the one, aren't you?"

"What on Nirn do you mean?" She asked.

"Don't play oblivious with me. That man you spoke to up in the marketplace already filled his people in on the conversation you had with him." Brynjolf? How the fuck did he get down there so quickly? She didn't see anyone other than the lowlifes she and Bishop had taken down. "You broke into the embassy and caused those problems for the Dominion."

"And so what if I am? Move aside. I have someone I need to speak with."

"That Esbern fellow, huh? Well you're too late. The Thalmor are already tracking him down." What? Damnit. She looked as though she was about ready to punch the bastard in front of her, but that never came.

"Gissur!" A familiar voice hissed, turning the attention to one of the members of the Guild, who'd been lurking in the shadows of the Flagon. "You're with the Thalmor? You're the one who had me  _trapped_ in their interrogation room, aren't you?" Etienne? Wyllin hardly recognized him in his Thieves' Guild armor and with his face mostly healed up from the beating he took at the hands of the Altmer. "You bastard! I thought I could trust you!"

"Don't give me that, Etienne. I was just doing my job. We all have to make a living somehow."

"Not by selling a fellow Guild member out!" With that, Etienne charged at Gissur, landing a punch right on his face. The other was quick to strike back, despite his bloody - and probably broken - nose. Everyone in the Flagon, including Wyllin and Bishop, stood around and watched this all happen. The extremely pissed off Etienne knocked Gissur, who was clearly less skilled at fighting, unconscious after a few more solid punches. He then turned to Wyllin, rubbing at his blood-soaked fist. "Sorry about that."

The elf recovered from her shock and looked towards him. "No, it's not a problem. Bastard had it coming if you asked me. I'd better get going. If the Thalmor are already on Esbern's tail..."

"Of course. Go on ahead."

"Is your hand okay?"

"Yeah. I've dealt with worse things than a busted up hand. Don't worry about me. Just find your man."

She offered him a smile before dashing off towards the door to the Warrens, Bishop and Karnwyr almost struggling to keep up with her pace.

The Warrens fared far worse than anything the group had seen previously in the Ratway. If she hadn't been so keen on looking into Esbern, she would've turned around and headed back the way she came. Faint voices could be heard from further in, which mostly sounded like ramblings of lunatics. Divines only knew what they were going to face ahead.

"This is the place sanity itself goes to die," The Bosmer murmured, mostly to herself. "Come on, we shouldn't waste much time-" She was about to start moving off, but the Ranger held his arm out in front of her, holding her back.

He didn't even need to look over to know she was giving him a dirty look. "Maybe you should start using your eyes more, ladyship." His tone was hushed. He motioned for her to take a closer look.

Robes. Elven armor. Wyllin swore something fierce under her breath. More of those Thalmor dogs. They were undoubtedly searching for Esbern as well, and wouldn't take too kindly to her and Bishop intruding on their plans. Bows were drawn, arrows notched. Karnwyr stood at the ready by his Nordic brother's side. All that was left was for one of those Altmer bastards to line up just perfectly... The first shot was fired from the Bosmer's bow. An arrow loosed itself into the shiny chestpiece of a soldier, and the shock of it knocked him to his knees. The commotion alerted the other two in the area, who rushed to where their fallen kin resided. He still hung onto his life. Before either of the two elves that still stood got any smart ideas, Bishops arrow was sent into the downed soldier's skull, ending him quickly.

The other two elves followed the path of the arrow, and eventually spotted who shot him down. The robed wizard readied a spell, while the living soldier drew her bow. Bishop had knocked back another arrow and was about to send it flying, but the wizard managed to send a gout of fire his way first. Luckily, Wyllin was fast enough to pull him out of the way before the thing collided with his face. It flew past the side of his head, only managing to singe a few hairs. Karnwyr had targeted the soldier in the meantime. The sight of the wolf bounding her way had her lose hold of the arrow she was about to fire. It was sent into a wall and bounced uselessly off the stone.

Wyllin decided to charge after the mage with her daggers in hand instead. She lept towards him and took a swing. He dodged that, and then the second one. Flames came in contact with her right arm as she was winding up another attack on him, causing her to hiss in pain and drop the one dagger she was holding onto. Before the Altmer could continue, an arrow made contact with his own arm, causing a yelp of agony to escape from his throat. Bishop's attack gave his companion enough time to fish her blade up off the ground and take a few more stabs. One to his uninjured arm, the hand of which was beginning to cast some type of conjuration spell. The second one slashed into him right by where the arrow had made contact. He'd been using that arm to hide his face, but the sting of her blade had him dropping it once more. When his head was in clear view again, she struck for it. One of her blades bit right into his neck. He fell to his knees with both hands grasping at his throat. Wyllin took a step back as his lifeless body soon landed the ground.

Off to the side, Karnwyr was dealing with the other soldier. She'd replaced her bow with a bound sword. The wolf dodged every one of her swings, but she fended off every one of his bites as well. That was until Bishop's arrow grazed right by her head. The shock from it left enough of an opening for Karnwyr to strike her down. He gleefully tore apart his now overpowered opponent, not really leaving all that much of her left in the end. Afterwards, he looked over towards Wyllin and Bishop, sat down, barked, and wagged his tail. The sudden shift in attitude brought a chuckle from the elf, who walked over and patted him on the head with the hand of her unburnt arm.

"Thanks for saving my face back there, ladyship," Bishop said as he walked towards the two.

She smirked at him as she unstrapped her glove. "Wouldn't want it going to waste because you got a little too careless around a mage, now would we?" The comment had him grinning. After she said that, she rolled up the burnt up sleeve of her armor. Fuck, that'd need to be fixed at some point, but it could wait. She focused on mumbling the incantation to her healing spell. Two fingers pressed against the burn, and then green light engulfed the wounded area. Within seconds, the marks were gone, and the sting vanished along with it.

"You know, I think that bastard might've managed to catch the corner of my mouth as you pulled me away. Think you could maybe use your magic and kiss it better?"

She looked back over at him. A hand reached up to cup his cheek, which he found himself leaning into. She then leaned towards him and closed her eyes. Just as he thought he was about to get the satisfaction, she paused and gave a soft laugh, and then spoke to him in a hushed tone. "I think you'll survive. We have an old Blades member to find."

"Tease," He mumbled.

She gave him an innocent smile before walking off. They headed further into the Warrens. The place was like a Gods damned maze. Wyllin was lucky that she wasn't turned around too much. Eventually, they did find themselves in a small area with a bunch of rooms. Most of them were locked up tight, with lunatics mumbling to themselves on the other side of the doors. The place was thoroughly examined until she came across one door that seemed to be more heavily sealed up than the others. "Must be our guy..." She walked up to the door and knocked a few times.

A small slit at the top of the door slid open. The voice of an old man on the other side could be heard. "Go away."

"Esbern, is that you?" Wyllin asked. "Open the door, I'm a friend."

"Esbern? No. That's not me. I'm not Esbern." His voice became a bit more panicked. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's fine. Delphine sent me. We need to get you out of here." She tried to sound as reassuring as possible as she spoke.

"Delphine... So you've found her, have you? And she's led you to me?" He sighed with frustration. "And here I am, a cornered rat with his tail stuck in a trap."

From out of view, the Bosmer's hands curled themselves into fists. He was paranoid as all hell. Still, she remained as calm as possible. "Delphine is a friend of mine. She sent me here because we need your help to stop the dragons. Esbern, you  _need_ to come with us!"

Esbern paused. "So, she keeps up the fight after all these years. I think you better come in and tell me how you found me and what you want. Just... Just give me a moment." Praise the Divines that she didn't need to argue with him too much.

As the elder worked away at the locks on his door, Bishop shook his head and sighed. His voice was low as he spoke to Wyllin. "So this is the best Delphine can give us? Some crazy guy hiding in a rat infested nuthouse? You put a lot of faith in these people."

"Better than nothing," She replied simply. Her arms crossed themselves over her chest as she waited. How many damned locks could a single door have?

After a bit of fumbling and stuttered apologies from the other side, the door finally opened up. Esbern stood in front of her. "Alright, here we are-" He noticed the other two by Wyllin. "Who are..?"

The elf looked over towards Bishop and Karnwyr. "Oh, these two have just been giving me a hand. You can trust them, don't worry."

He eyed the two cautiously, before shrugging and gesturing for them all to come in. "Yes, well, we have much to discuss. Come in, come in." The three walked in, and the door was then shut behind them. Afterwards, Esbern turned back to them and looked Wyllin over. "So you were sent by Delphine? I thought she'd have realized by now that it's all hopeless. I tried to tell her years ago."

She gave him a curious look. "Hopeless? I don't think it's  _that_ bad."

Her comment brought a frustrated sigh from him. "What more needs to happen before you all wake up and see what's going on? Alduin has returned! The prophecy foretold this. The dragon from the dawn of time, who devours the souls of the dead. No one can escape his hunger, here or in the afterlife! He will devour all things, the entire world! Those fools. I tried to tell them, but they wouldn't listen. Now it's all come true and we can do nothing but watch our doom approach us."

The information he was giving was a bit more than she'd anticipated, and it took a moment for things to sink in. "Alduin... The one who's bringing the dragons back to life?" She remembered his name. The dragon she went after with Bishop. He mentioned something about an 'Alduin'.

"Yes! You see, but you refuse to understand. This is only the beginning of the end!"

"But... You're talking about the  _literal end of the world._ "

"Yes, I am. Alduin has returned, just as the prophecy foretold. Only the Dragonborn can stop him." His mentioning of her titled had the once incredibly worried expression on her face lighten a little, but he didn't give her a chance to speak. "No Dragonborn has been seen in centuries, however. I fear the Gods have grown tired of us. They've left us to our fate as the plaything of Alduin the World-Eater."

"No, Esbern. That's not true!" She pointed to herself. "I'm Dragonborn. I can stop him!"

Her words had his eyes widen. "You're... What? Can it be true? Dragonborn? Then... Then there is hope! The Gods have not abandoned us! We must go. Quickly. Take me to Delphine. There's much to discuss, but..." He looked around. "Give me a moment, I must gather some things."

As he walked around the room gathering things, something caught the attention of the perceptive wood elf. She moved towards the door. From the other side, voices could be heard, and they definitely weren't from the crazies. She breathed in deeply and called upon her Thu'um. Though this was but a mere whisper.  _"Laas Yah Nir."_ Forms began to glow through the other side of the wall. Several were obviously from the others in their rooms, but a few new ones were making their way over. She knew  _exactly_ who they were. "Shit... Um... Esbern-"

"Yes, yes. Just a few more seconds, Dragonborn. I need to find my annotated Anuad..."

She sighed and turned to Bishop. "Thalmor. Outside." That had him drawing his bow. She did the same. The two then stood right by the door, one on either side of it.

"Here it is," Esbern said as he pulled out a book from a drawer. "Right, yes. That should be good enough. Let's..." He saw the two. "What's going on?"

"Thalmor!"

"Oh!"

She swung the door open and charged out, both of her companions in toe. Esbern was quick to follow behind the three. Luckily, they caught the Aldmeri agents off guard, and it was easy enough to pick them down from their height advantage. The old Blade apparently had a knack for magic and took to shooting spikes of ice at them, which seemed to freeze the very blood in their veins when they collided with them. Once they were dealt with, the group quickly got on the move. Out of the Warrens. Out of the Flagon. Out of the Ratway. Then out of Riften itself. It wasn't long before they were on their way back to Delphine.

* * *

 

The four walked in silence from the Rift, to Eastmarch, and then a small ways into Whiterun hold. Thankfully, no more Thalmor were around to bother them. Wyllin had found herself lost in thought over everything that'd gone on that day. It was to the point that the sound of Bishop's voice startled her a little when he decided to finally speak again.

"So, would you mind telling me what all of that was about with the thieves?"

She glanced over at him. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me, ladyship.  _No one_ acts that spiteful towards a group of people without having some reason behind it. That type of hatred runs deeper than one snatching your coin purse a few years back..."

His observation had her clenching her fists. "Yes. There's more to it than that."

"What exactly  _is_ it then, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I  _do_ mind you asking."

"Come on, Wyllin. You said back at Nilheim that..." He sighed with resignation. She was still guarded. "Nevermind. Let's keep going."

They continued on while memories flooded her mind. Something nagged away at her on the inside. Well, she  _did_ drag him along into a Thalmor infested rathole in order to go after a lead that could've very well gotten them nowhere. Maybe she could inform him at least a little bit on why she was in such a sour attitude back in Riften. Maybe it would also be good to just get this out. Besides, she told him that she trusted him, right? "It's because of my sister."

Her words had him looking back over to her. "What about this sister?"

"I was close with her when I was younger, just as I was - and still am - with my brother. We did everything together. If one of us got into trouble, the other would find a way to bail them out. We never kept secrets from one another. We swore to stand by each other until the end, but..." She stopped for a moment to collect herself. "It was some asshole from a group of thieves in Valenwood who call themselves the 'Silver Crescents'. He came into her life and started changing her. I didn't even know about him until it was too late. She was practically enthralled by him at that point. My brother was actually the one who found out and told our family. The sister I knew would've never kept her involvement with this guy from me. I was furious, to say the least. I genuinely fought with her for the first time. I still remember every damn stupid thing I said and..." She blinked away a tear. Her knuckles turned white as she dug her nails into her palms. "She ran away with them after the fight. I lost my little sister to a group of thieves, and I know for a fact they have ties to the ones here in Skyrim. So yes, there is more of a reason than one nicking my gold."

He remained quiet for a short while after she spoke, taking her words in. "The sibling you thought you were closest to betrayed you. I can relate to that, in a way."

She let out a shaky sigh. "Yeah? Well, I just want to get off this topic for now, if you don't mind."

"Alright then." He moved closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Was it the first time he'd seen genuine sorrow in her eyes? Damn.

There wasn't much time to linger on that, however. An arrow flew past the Bosmer's head, and all four of them were immediately on guard. His eyes turned in the direction it came from, and he saw a woman dressed in hide armor. A bandit? Several more came out from their hiding places as well, weapons drawn. For some reason, they felt more organized than a group of lowly brigands.

Wyllin and Bishop readied their bows, while Esbern began to call upon his magic. He'd been sort of zoned out until that point, but the arrow had landed somewhere by his feet and immediately caught his attention. They'd only managed to take down the archer that sent that arrow at them before the rest of the group managed to set upon them. One of them took a swing at the Bosmer, which she only barely managed to avoid. His axe immediately caught her attention. More specifically, the  _material_ said axe was made from. Silver. Shit. She punched him in the neck with the hand that held her bow, giving her enough time to hop out of his reach and summon her wolves. Off to the side, Esbern had done the same with a Storm Atronach.

The wolves, along with Karnwyr, charged into the group, managing to distract a few. How many of them even were there? Bishop exchanged his bow for his blade and struggled to fend off one of the attackers. Luckily, the atronach came to his aid when Esbern willed it to. The old Blade was sending out ice spikes at the ranged attackers. The ones that hit slowed them down and messed with their aim significantly.

The enemies seemed more keen on ganging up on the Bosmer. It was hard to keep up with them, and a blade eventually found its way to her side. She cried out in pain, catching the attention of her summoned wolves, and fell to her knees. The pain wouldn't have been half as bad, if it weren't for the fact the weapon was silver. Her blood itself felt like it was burning under her flesh.

"Die, you abomination!" The one who attacked her shouted as she raised her blade once more. The strike she planned never came, as one of Wyllin's summons leapt onto her. She fell to the ground and was torn apart as the other two wolves rushed to their master's aid, fending off her attackers while she attempted to regain her ability to even function. It'd been a long time since she felt the sting of that cursed metal cutting through her skin, and that only amplified the feeling of it.

Bishop and Esbern managed to fend off the group, along with Karnwyr and the summoned creatures. The ones who weren't killed off managed to flee into the forests. After that was over, the group dashed towards the wounded elf.

The Ranger called out her name and then dropped to his knees in front of her. She was bleeding heavily from the gash that landed just under her ribcage. He was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear a damn thing. She looked up at him and mumbled some nearly inaudible apology before blacking out.


	8. Old Enemies

Wyllin woke up in an unfamiliar bed the next day and bolted into a sitting position. The pain in her side left her hissing. She grabbed for it as she tried to remember the events leading up to when she got it. There wasn't enough time for her to do so. A hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder. She turned to see it belonged to Bishop, who sat on a chair off to the side of the bed.

"If you get up too fast, you're going to have yourself bleeding again."

She had a confused, and somewhat frightened, look in her eyes. "Wh... What's going on? What happened? Where am I?"

"We got attacked by some brigands who clearly didn't like you for some reason. You're at the Sleeping Giant right now, in Delphine's room. Esbern managed to bandage up your wound enough to keep you from bleeding out, and then I carried you here." He looked towards the closed door. "None of us really know how to heal wounds like yours, so she called on a priestess of Kynareth to help out, who's done what she could but... Gods, was that blade poisoned or something?"

"I..." She blinked a few times. Memories began to flood back to her. Those attackers... They were from the Silver Hand. "Maybe it was. I don't know. It just stings like a son of a bitch and I can barely remember my own name, let alone the incantation for my spell."

"It's fine for now. You're not bleeding anymore." He shifted to sit down next to her on the bed an arm wrapped around her shoulders. The feeling of her leaning against him calmed his nerves a little. She was still alive. "Leave it to the one time you don't plan an attack on someone to nearly get your ass sent to the pits of... Wherever you Bosmer go when you die."

She managed a chuckle, which just hurt her side further in the end. Something had felt off since she woke up. She looked down and then furrowed her brow. "Who changed me out of my armor?"

"Delphine did when she attempted to tend to your wound. I took the liberty of sending it off to Alvor to have it repaired. It should be finished sometime soon."

"Thanks. It was in a pretty bad state after all of this. Gods, when I get my hands on those bastards, I'll-"

"Woah now, ladyship," He interrupted. "You're not seriously thinking about going after them again, are you? After they put you in  _this_ state?"

"They got a lucky hit on me," She scoffed. "Besides, I put up with way worse from their group before than this little flesh wound."

"You've fought them before?"

She nodded. "Their 'organization', if you want to call it that, is known as the 'Silver Hand'. Really, they're nothing more than a slightly more organized group of bandits, if you ask me. They've had a longstanding... Disagreement with the Companions. I thought we wiped them out shortly after they had the balls to attack Jorrvaskr months back. Guess I was wrong, and they've built their numbers back up since then."

"Seems like more than a 'disagreement' if they were willing to go after you like this."

"Yeah, but that's not important. I need to... Talk with the Circle about this. If I can't go after them, the brothers and Aela will be more than happy to."

"That can wait until you're actually rested. Even if you heal that wound with your magic, I can tell that poison on the blade took a lot more out of you than you want to think." He was right, and she knew it, even if she refused to admit it to herself. "Why are you so adamant on taking them out anyway?"

"You mean  _other_ than the fact they've gone after the Companions?" She looked down at her hands, which were clenched into fists. "They killed someone close to me from the guild. His name was Kodlak, and... He was like my second father. Aela might've been the one to introduce me to the Companions, but he was the one who took me under his wing. Treated me like his child. Then those  _assholes_  attacked Jorrvaskr while I was out on a contract with one of the new recruits. I wasn't even there to help..."

While she tried to hide it, he could see the genuine sadness on her face, despite the fact she was mostly turned away from him. His hand rubbed against the side of her arm in some attempt to comfort her.

"They told me he died honorably, like a true Nord should, but I still can't forgive myself."

"Wyllin..."

The door to the room suddenly opened and Delphine stepped inside. "By Talos! You're finally awake!"

Wyllin and Bishop looked towards her as the priestess walked into the room as well. The elf offered a weak smile to the both of them. "A little cut like this can't keep the mighty Dragonborn down, Delphine." She then looked around. "Where's Esbern?"

"Waiting outside the room. That's not important. Danica, the priestess here, said she wanted to speak with you privately." The thought had Bishop frowning, but he relented when Wyllin urged him to leave with the Breton.

Once the two were alone, Danica moved to sit down at the chair Bishop had been sitting on earlier. "I wanted to talk to you about that wound of yours in private. I've treated my fair share of injuries, especially from the Companions. I know that blade used on you wasn't poisoned like the others assume it was."

The elf nodded. "It was made from silver."

"Exactly. I've known that the beast blood has been gifted to some of the Companions for quite a while now, and your secret is safe with me. I just wanted to confirm it with you privately because I figured your friends out there didn't know."

"They don't. I intend to keep it that way for a while. Listen, when you get back to Whiterun, can you stop by Jorrvaskr and tell Aela to come visit me here? I don't think Bishop's going to let me set foot outside of the inn tonight, but I need to discuss this with her."

"Of course." The priestess then chuckled. "That Nord seems to be taken with you."

"Yeah, sometimes to an obnoxious extent." She shook her head. "But that's not really important now. Thank you for the help, Danica. I think I can manage to heal this the rest of the way on my own once I can focus on my spell."

"No problem. Don't be afraid to call upon me if you need my aid. The Temple's doors are always open, Companion." She then stood up and walked out of the room. Soon after, the others walked back in, with Esbern now in tow.

Wyllin focused her attention on them. "So, have you talked about what we're going to be doing once I can actually function again?"

"Already thinking about that, hmm?" Delphine sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "You really are something, Dragonborn. Anyways, no. We were waiting for you to heal up before we do anything else. Esbern did inform me about Alduin though. By the Gods, I didn't want to believe it was him. This is all worse than I thought."

"She's still alive at least, Delphine," Esbern told her. "Once she's ready, we can talk over our plan. I may know of a place here in Skyrim that can help us."

"What exactly are we looking for?" Wyllin asked him. "Is it in that book you were insistent on finding back in the Ratway?"

"Yes, it is." He opened the book in his hands and flipped through the pages. "It's known as 'Alduin's Wall', and is where the ancient Blades recorded all they knew of Alduin's defeat. I can't find any specific details about what's inscribed on the Wall, but I should be able to decipher it once we get there. No doubt the Akaviri shrouded any answers they have in allegory and symbolism, as they always have."

Delphine frowned at him. "Esbern."

He looked up and closed the book. "Right, yes. I get ahead of myself. This can all be saved for when the Dragonborn is rested. It'll give me some time to put everything together as well."

"Come on, she should probably get some more sleep." The Breton waved for the others to follow her through the door.

"Wait," Wyllin said as they walked out. They all turned to face her. "Bishop, can you..."

He chuckled softly. "Sure, princess." Once the other two had exited the room, he closed the door behind them. He removed his jacket, boots, and bracers before laying down next to her.

She curled up against him, with her head resting on his chest. Her one arm was folded over her stomach, with the hand against her bandaged wound. The fingers on the other hand delicately traced shapes against his skin through the fabric of his shirt mindlessly. The sound of his steady heartbeat was soothing. She might've drifted back off to sleep already, if something wasn't nagging at her mind. "I'm sorry."

Her words had him giving her a curious look. "About what?"

"Putting you through this. I have a lot of enemies. More than just the dragons and the Thalmor. I just feel bad for dragging someone else into this mess."

"You've said it before, ladyship, I'm doing this willingly. You saved my ass at the embassy, and then again in the Ratway. It... Wouldn't sit right with me to just leave you for dead."

"I'm glad I put my trust in the right person then."

Right person? Did she actually believe that? Part of him felt like it was a bad idea, even if he was the one to bring up trust in the first place. He tried to push that train of thought aside. "Well, I get the feeling you'll repay me later. When you actually regain your strength, and you're not all bandaged up."

She looked up at him. The suggestive look on his face had her groaning and rolling her eyes. "You're an animal."

"Never said I wasn't."

"Fair enough." She laid her head back down. "I think I'm going to get some more rest. If you want to go, you can."

"Eh, I'm already comfortable. I can stay here for a little."

She smiled and adjusted herself a little. "Thank you." She then fell asleep to the feeling of his fingers running through her hair. For as much of a pain as he could be, he still had his soft side, even if he wouldn't admit to it. She could appreciate that.

* * *

 

Wyllin woke back up to a knock on the door some hours later. Aela's voice could be heard on the other side of it, calling out to her. Fuck, right. She'd asked the priestess to send her over.

"I got it," Bishop told her. He stood up and stretched. Then he made his way over to the door and opened it.

"Wyllin, that Kynareth priestess Danica told me that you wanted to talk-" She finally took notice of the fact that the person standing in front of her was  _not_ Wyllin. Unless Wyllin somehow transformed into a partially naked male Nord. "Um. Hello there. Where is..?" She peered around him to notice the half awake elf on the bed. "Should I come back another time?"

"No, you're fine," Wyllin told her. "Bishop, if you would..." She motioned for him to leave, and he did so. Then she sat up and turned her attention to Aela, hand clenching at her side when she felt the sting of her wound again.

"Danica told me it was urgent. I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner." The Companion moved to sit down next to her. "What happened?"

"The Silver Hand happened."

That had her eyes widening. "The  _what?_ "

"I know, I was surprised too. They ambushed me on my way back to Whiterun from the Rift. The moment I noticed those silver weapons on them, I knew they weren't just normal bandits." She nodded her head to the side. The bandages wrapped around her waist were just barely visible from under her night shirt. "One of those bastards cut me pretty deep. I've been here recovering since then. By Hircine, I thought we killed them off ages ago."

"Apparently that's not the case." Aela shifted back on the chair and crossed her arms. "I'm assuming you called me here because you wanted to discuss taking them out?"

"You're damn right I did."

"There's that spirit I saw when we first met at that farm." Her expression then went from proud to concerned. "Still, you're injured. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I can heal this up tonight. Just give me a day to prepare myself, and then we can devise a battle plan tomorrow evening. I... Need to do this. For Skjor and... And Kodlak."

"I know. I just don't want you hurting yourself. There's a difference between upholding honor and being foolish, Harbinger." She then grinned. "I have to admit though, I haven't been so excited for a hunt since the last time we faced off against the Hand. These fools deserve what's coming to them."

"And we'll give it to 'em, in the memory of our fallen Brothers. Speaking of which, Vilkas and Farkas should come as well."

"I'm certain they won't want to miss out on this opportunity. The fact they also no longer have the beast blood means they can withstand silver weapons better as well."

"Good, we'll need that. We can discuss the details tomorrow. For right now, I need to get this damned thing healed up."

"Right. I'll leave you to that." Aela stood up and began to make her way to the door.

"Also, can you tell Bishop to wait for a minute while I do this? I know he'll just barge back in unless he's told otherwise."

"Sure thing."

Once Aela was gone, Wyllin got to work. She pulled her top off and then began to undo the bandages. The discoloration from the silver breaking through her skin had vanished for the most part. Still, the cut itself looked nasty. She was finally able to focus on her spell though. Soon enough, the wound was little more than a scar. While it still stung to a certain degree, it felt a lot better than it had before. Once she'd healed it, she put her shirt back on and stood up.

Bishop noticed her as she exited the room. "Finally managed to get that spell to work?"

"Mhmm." She walked by him.

"Where are you going?"

"Bath."

"Really? Mind if I join you?"

She looked towards him, and then smirked. "Sure! Why don't you head over and... Stand watch while I'm in there!"

The Ranger groaned, which only had her giggling as she headed into the washroom.

* * *

 

She felt bad for sneaking out the next night. She knew they were still worried about her, but she couldn't even begin to explain everything to them. The last thing she wanted was Bishop trying to tag along as well. If he found out what she was... Well, she didn't want to think about that. Instead, she focused on the road ahead. She made it to Jorrvaskr, where the other three were waiting for her.

"I did a bit of scouting after I left Riverwood," Aela explained to the others as they all hung around the empty mead hall. "They've grown fearless, and aren't too far off from Whiterun. At least this part of their group isn't. Given how they've managed to regrow their numbers, I get the feeling there's more of them spread throughout Skyrim."

"Getting rid of these ones will send a strong message," Vilkas told her. "The Companions aren't to be messed with. We'll catch them by surprise under the cover of night, and the four of us should be enough to wipe them out."

"More than enough," Wyllin corrected. "Gods, the beast in me is itching for a chance to rip into some of these fools."

Vilkas eyed her warily. "Don't act too hastily, Harbinger. You've already been injured by them once."

"I just... Ugh... These bastards need to be taken down a notch."

"And they will be, Sister. We need to devise an actual plan instead of just rushing in though."

"Right."

The four left through the Underforge a short while later. Aela led them to the area the nearby branch of the Silver Hand were hiding out in. It was some old fort north west of the city. When they neared it, Wyllin called upon her summons, then turned towards the brothers. "Ready when you are." They both readied their weapons, and then Farkas nodded at her. With a flick of the Bosmer's wrist, her wolves charged in, with the two Companions following behind. Aela and her stayed back to provide ranged support and ensure none of their enemies fled.

Once they cleared out the outside of the camp, they descended upon the ones inside. The two of them who still had the beast blood called upon their forms shortly after the one dismissed her summoned minions. They followed Vilkas and Farkas inside. Describing the scene that came after as a 'bloodbath' put it lightly. The relentless attacks from their enemies drove both of the werewolves into a sort-of frenzy, even when they were cut up by their weapons. By the time they were finished, there was none of the Hand left in that area. Aela was able to transform back at will, and then calmed down her still much more untamed Sister.

Wyllin soon regained her strength in her human form and got to work healing up the group. Aela and her definitely had some nasty marks on them from the silvered weapons, but they were nothing compared to what the latter had gotten two days prior. Vilkas had a sizable gash on his left arm. The fact the silver didn't react with his blood had the enemy who attacked confused long enough for him to bring his weapon down on them. Farkas was the one who fared the best out of the four. He declined the magic that was offered to him because of that.

By the time everything was said and done, the sun was barely starting to rise. Wyllin left the other three behind once they got to Whiterun and made her way back to Riverwood. She was hoping that everyone was still asleep by that point. She wasn't lucky enough to have that though. The moment she set foot into the town, she was confronted by a fuming Ranger standing outside of the inn.

"Where. The hell. Did you go?" He growled the moment he caught sight of her.

"I had things to do," She responded. "Things that didn't concern you or the Blades."

"For fucks sake, Wyllin! Don't tell me you went after that Silver Hand group you were talking about yesterday."

She walked up to him. "They're a threat to the safety of the Companions, Bishop. The Circle felt it was best to deal with them as soon as possible."

"So you did it right after you were recovered? Do you realize how incredibly  _stupid_ that was for you to do?" He ran his shaky fingers through his disheveled hair. "Gods I... I want to kill you myself for doing this!"

"Good luck in trying." She crossed her arms over her chest. Admittedly, the sight of him had her worried. He looked like he hadn't slept all night. Fuck, he probably didn't. "Look, it doesn't matter. I didn't go after them alone anyway. Aela and the brothers helped me out, and we were more than a match for them."

"I'm starting to think that 'Circle' of yours is a bad influence."

She huffed. "Says you!" One of her hands found its way to her forehead, and then her index finger and thumb pinched the bridge of her nose. "We just went after the most immediate threats to Whiterun. There might be more of them out there, but the other Circle members will be able to take care of them without many problems."

"Good. You seem extremely persistent on not letting anyone else know what the fuck is going on with the Companions and this faction, so chances are you wouldn't take me with, and I have half a mind to not let you leave my sight after this."

That comment had her growling. She stuck a finger out at him. "You don't control me, Ranger. I'll do  _what_  I please  _when_  I please. Gods, why are you acting like this anyway? I can take care of myself you know. Some vigilante-type group is nothing compared to the dragons I've faced head on in the past."

"Because I care, okay?" His response had her anger melt away into shock. He gave a frustrated sigh. "You're the first damn person I've actually been able to even stand being around for this long in a while. I don't want to lose you. Is that enough?"

"I..." She didn't even have the words to respond with.

He took a moment to calm down and then managed to speak in a more even tone. "You stuck out your neck for me several times. Normally I wouldn't give two shits if someone wanted to be foolish enough to do that but... Fucking hell, I don't know. The last thing I need right now is you wandering off to your doom on my watch."

She stepped closer to him and then wrapped her arms around him. Eventually, he did the same with her. "You don't need to worry so much. I'm tougher than I look, you know."

"Won't stop me from doing it."

"Idiot," She mumbled, and then pulled back to look him in the eyes again. "You're tired. I can see it. Did you sleep at all while I was gone?"

"No."

"Well, you're going to now. Come on. I promise I won't sneak off again." She grabbed his hand and led him inside the nearly empty inn, back to Delphine's room. She had him wait outside the room while she changed back out of her armor and into her night clothes. Then she poked her head out and motioned for him to come in. Once the door had closed, she noticed the look he was giving her. "What?"

He looked her over with a frown and then walked up to her. Without any kind of warning, she was pushed onto the bed, and he was on top of her. His lips were against hers, far more roughly than they'd been back at Nilheim. She was shocked at first, but fully welcomed it after. Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist as she reached up to grip at his hair. His hands slid under her shirt and groped at her sides. As they worked their way upwards, she moved to undo the straps of his jacket. Something had her pausing, however, and she pushed against his chest instead, which had him breaking their kiss and giving her a confused look.

"You need your sleep."

"I think I need  _you_ more right now."

The words had her face tinting red. It'd be so simple to give into what they both wanted... No, they had things to do, and he needed rest. "There will be plenty of time for that later." She pushed his hands out from under her shirt and scooted away from him. "Come on."

He sighed and stripped down to his pants, and then laid down next to her. When he turned on his side and wrapped an arm around her, she curled up against him, head resting in the crook of his neck. As he was falling asleep, she mumbled his name under her breath, which had his eyes shifting down. "Yes?"

"As much as it might've pissed me off at first, I'm... I'm glad you're deciding to look out for me. It's been a while since anyone's done that and I've felt that I could actually rely on them. It means a lot more than you might think."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? Let Skyrim's greatest hero meet her end before she can take down this... Alduin guy and save the entire world?"

"I know it's more than that. You couldn't give two shits about my title or my destiny."

"I think you're getting to know me  _too_ well."

She shrugged the shoulder that wasn't against the bed. "Your fault for deciding to latch onto me."

"Woah now, I wouldn't say  _latched."_

"Bishop..." She grumbled. "You're impossible." The words had him chuckling softly. She then adjusted herself a little bit. "Anyways, get some sleep. Delphine and Esbern probably want to talk to us later."

He hadn't realized how tired he was until they were laying down, and was out pretty much the moment she told him to sleep.

* * *

 

Bishop woke up later on that day. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Eventually, he looked to the spot on the bed where Wyllin had been sleeping, only to find it empty. Fuck. Luckily, she was still in the room, sat on the floor in a cross-legged position, now fully dressed in her armor again.

Her usual carving tools and several bones were spread out on the floor in front of her. While he expected more arrowheads, she was apparently working on something else entirely. It looked to be some type of symbol, which she carved into the smooth surface of some type of pendant. He didn't disturb her while she worked, but instead watched as her practiced hands carefully chipped away at the surface of the pendant, creating little intricate details as they went along. As she was doing this, she was quietly humming something to herself.

She didn't have much more to do by the time he'd woken up, and eventually sat down her carving tool. She brushed any fragments of chipped away bone and then held her creation up to examine it. Bishop found himself leaning in a bit closer to get a better look at the carving, but must've created a bit too much noise in the process.

Wyllin turned her head to look over at him. "Good morning, sleepy head. Rest well?"

"Yeah, I, uh..." He blinked and then shook his head. "What time is it?"

"About noon. Maybe later," She responded as she returned to what she was doing.

"Earlier than I expected." His attention then turned towards her project in her hands. "So you made that while I was out? What even is it?"

"Oh, my charm?" She brushed her thumb across the surface. "I've actually had it partially done before we met, but forgot about it until I was digging through my bag earlier.. It's a prayer talisman."

"Prayer? You're actually religious?"

"Yes, but not towards the Divines like most are around here, or even the Bosmeri pantheon, really. I dedicate myself to another being a long while ago." She grabbed a necklace cord made from leather and attached it to the pendant as she spoke.

The Ranger continued to examine the symbol she'd made. It was some type of... Stag's head? What Godly being even had that as their symbol? "So, who exactly do you follow? And are you going to shove their teachings down my throat?" The last question was mostly sarcastic. Given the fact she hadn't done it already, he could assume that she wouldn't ever do it at all.

She cackled. "No. I'm not like that, don't worry. None of his followers really... Do that anyway. As for who I worship? Not important." She tied her new creation around her neck and then started packing up her tools. "What  _is_ important is that Delphine and Esbern are waiting for us downstairs. I had them hold off on discussing everything until you were awake."

"Alright then. Whatever you say."

Once her tools and remaining bones were packed up, she got to her feet and placed her tools in her bag. She then grabbed the entire pack and pulled the straps over her shoulders. By the time she looked back over towards Bishop, he was halfway finished getting dressed. She waited for him to get up off the bed and then walked over to him. Her arms wrapped themselves around him from behind, and her head rested against his back.

"Something on your devious little mind, princess?"

"Hmm? No. Can't a lady hug the man who spilled his guts to her last night?"

He suddenly remembered that conversation. Fuck. Did he  _really_ say all of that. He turned around to face her, which forced her to pull away from him. "Look, that was all said in the heat of the moment. I was pissed at you for leaving without a word. For Gods' sakes, you could've at  _least_ said you were heading out." In the heat of the moment? Maybe. Was it all actually true though? He was still conflicted over that part.

"Mhm, and if I did, you would've tried to follow me. This was Companions business. More specifically, business with the Circle. We didn't want anyone else being dragged into it, especially outsiders." She then shook her head. "Well, regardless, it's all water under the bridge now. I'm here, I'm fine, and I'm not going anywhere for a while without you. The other three can handle the rest of the Silver Hand on their own for a while." Of course, she'd need to check in on them, but that could wait. "We should get to Delphine and Esbern before they get impatient though."

"Right, that whole Alduin's Wall thing. Let's go then." He followed her as she made her way down the steps.

The majority of the conversation was Esbern rambling on about Sky Haven Temple, which apparently held Alduin's Wall within it. The two women in the room mostly just looked confused as he spoke, while Bishop stood in the back dozing off from boredom. Eventually, they settled on heading out to the temple that day. The fact it was located in the Reach had Wyllin on edge, given issues in the past when dealing with Forsworn. Still, this was something they needed to do, and she respected that.

She'd asked a few questions about Alduin's Wall. He spoke about how it was created by a group of ancient Akaviri known as the 'Dragonguard', who went on to form the Blades at some point after they'd met Reman Cyrodiil, who was a Dragonborn in his time. Previous Dragonborns always interested Wyllin after she found out about being one herself. Still, they didn't have much time to spare, so she inevitably decided to continue where they left off at a later date.

Once the conversation was over, the elf walked towards Bishop and snapped her fingers in front of him. His eyes opened up. "Wake up, Ranger. We're heading out."

He stretched and groaned. "To where?"

"You weren't paying attention at all, were you?" She gave him an exasperated sigh. "Divines above, Bishop. We're heading out for Sky Haven. It's in some place called Karthspire in the Reach."

"Alright. Lead on then."

She headed up the steps behind Esbern and Delphine. When they got to the room above, she and Bishop grabbed their weapons. After that, the group headed out.


	9. Sky Haven Temple

The group exited the inn. They'd decided to take the path through Whiterun hold to the Reach. Karnwyr was waiting patiently outside and immediately sprung to his feet when he noticed them coming. He happily trotted alongside Bishop and Wyllin. Meanwhile, Delphine and Esbern hung back, presumably catching up with one another as they went, as if they didn't have enough time to do so while she was injured.

"So we go from thieves to Forsworn," Bishop commented as they walked.

"Yep. It seems the world is really out to get us." Wyllin then sighed. "I've dealt with Forsworn a few times before when I was out on missions for the Companions. I don't really like traveling the Reach. It always feels so tense, even if the landscape is beautiful. I prefer the wilds of Falkreath the most, I think."

"Given the fact you have a house there, I assumed so. A lot of good hunting in those woods. Maybe we should take another trip there sometime soon."

"Yeah, it's been a while since I've-"

"There's probably also a good few hiding places around there, where we can be alone and get up to... Well..." He smirked. The comment prompted Wyllin to jab his arm sharply. "Hey, it was only a suggestion!"

Her eyes rolled. "Let's just keep on the task at hand before you think about... Anything else."

The group continued their walk. They went south of Whiterun, towards Falkreath, and then headed west into the Reach. Delphine had said along the way that Karthspire wouldn't be too far in. With any luck, they wouldn't have to deal with a whole lot of Forsworn. That was at least promising. What  _wasn't_ promising was the sound they heard as they neared the area. It was a sound the Dragonborn was all too familiar with. Her bow was drawn immediately, and her eyes shot towards the sky.

"Dragon," Delphine muttered somewhere off behind her. "Get yourself prepared, Esbern. These guys aren't a joke." As if he needed her to tell him. After she said that, the dragon made itself present and flew past the small group.

Everything was deafeningly quiet for a moment, until the beast landed before them all, shaking the ground under his feet. He glared down at the group before him before releasing a massive string of flames upon them. Luckily, they all managed to dodge out of the way. Afterwards, the dragon lifted itself off of the ground again and began to circle overhead of the group.

"These lizards move too fast for our projectiles when they're up in the skies!" Wyllin shouted. "Split up so he can only attack a few of us at once and the others will have a chance to strike!" She then bolted a little ways down the path and hid by a juniper berry tree. An arrow was drawn back in her bow, and then she peered out from her hiding spot. The others had scattered as well, and the dragon was circling around, trying to find his first target. Then he landed again.

Delphine had been the reason for it. She jumped back and withdrew her sword. The Breton was quick on her feet as she dodged the bites he made at her. Meanwhile, Wyllin had an arrow lined up. She loosed it, and it went flying into the dragon, who growled in pain once he felt the sting of it against his neck. He quickly turned to her and readied himself to spew fire at her. Before he could, he felt a blade across one of his back legs, and then one of Bishop's arrows entering his side. The Shout was released into the air above instead. He launched himself off the ground and flew around again.

Wyllin made her way over to Bishop, who had an arrow lined up. A hand was put on his arm, and he was forced to lower his bow. The two made eye contact and he was about to tell her off, but she spoke first. "Like I said before, don't waste your arrows while the damned thing is in the sky." He would've protested, but she'd undoubtedly faced many before this, so he refrained.

"Would you two watch out?!" Delphine shouted.

The dragon hovered just above them, keeping himself aloft with his wings. The moment the two looked at him, he released his Thu'um upon them, sending a column of fire their way. Quickly, Bishop shoved Wyllin out of the way, causing her to yelp and fall to the ground. He then tried to duck out himself, but wasn't quick enough. The blast caught his shoulder and arm, and practically had him howling in pain. The dragon was pelted with a few ice spikes from Esbern, which shattered painfully against his scaly hide, and eventually caused him to fly into the air and circle once again.

Bishop's burnt arm was in too much pain for him to hold his bow. He hissed and tried to hold his grasp on it. There was no way in hell he'd be firing that thing. Once the Bosmer got back to her feet, she rushed over to him, hand reaching into her side pouch. He tried to stop her. "Wyllin, don't worry about me. We still have a dragon to-"

"Shh!" She pulled out a healing potion and handed it over to him. "There's no time for me to properly treat the wound with magic. Just take this and I can deal with it later." Once he took it from her hand, she headed back into the fray.

They were practically one man down for a while, but that didn't deter her in the slightest. He landed by the Dragonborn again and narrowed his eyes at her. A well placed shot to his maw had him reeling back just long enough for her to grab her daggers. The dragon snapped at her as she tried to find an opening to get at one of his wings. Then he growled and called upon his Thu'um. He'd only gotten one word of his Fire Breath out before he was interrupted by an ice spike shattering against his face, but it was enough.

The flames bit at Wyllin's leg, causing her to fall off to the side and nearly land in the river. She hissed and grabbed at it. The dragon approached her, ready to try again. Thinking fast, she decided to use her Thu'um before he had the chance.  _"FEIM."_  Her form faded almost completely, and the flames of the dragon's breath passed harmlessly through it. She forced herself back onto her feet. Delphine and Esbern managed to distract the beast. She'd limped behind a rock formation just as the effects of her Shout wore off. A potion was downed, and she moved to perch herself on top of the rocks. Her focus was too off for her bow due to the pain in her leg. Instead, she needed her Thu'um again. She waited a moment so she could collect herself, and then took a deep breath in.  _"YOL TOOR."_

He roared as the flames hit him in the side of the head, injuring his eye in the process. He then he turned to her, only to have Delphine rip into his exposed wing with her blade. The dragon was clearly confused, unable to choose a target. Esbern didn't help, given how he continued to shoot magic at the beast. An ice spike landed to the recently charred side of its face and shattered against it, causing it to reel back and growl in pain. Delphine then managed to find an opening and plunge her sword into his neck and ripped it downwards. That was the fatal blow.

Wyllin carefully hopped down from her perch and approached the dead dragon. As she did, the body began to glow, and its skin burnt away. Wisps of light made their way towards her and engulfed her. The dragon was nothing but bones after.

"By the Divines!" Esbern gasped. "In all my years, I never thought I'd live to see this. To see you, the Dragonborn, claim the soul of one of our enemies." She smiled at the old man.

Karnwyr - who'd found a place to safely hide from the dragon previously - whimpered and nuzzled at his brother, who was clearly still in pain. That had her remembering his injuries, and she immediately rushed over to aid him.

"Pull your sleeve back," She demanded as she raised one of her hands.

He looked down at the sleeve and examined it. "Damn dragon fucked it up pretty badly."

"We'll see to that later. Just be quiet and do as I say!"

"Alright! Alright!" His eyes rolled as he yanked back the singed fabric, wincing when he realized how harshly he'd done so. Even with the healing potion, the burn still stung to the touch.

The Bosmer gingerly took his hand in hers and examined the wound along his arm. Her other hand raised and pressed its fingers against his burnt skin, causing him to groan in pain. The usual incantation was muttered under her breath, and green light enveloped her hand, and then his arm. Before the eyes of everyone around, the burn mark slowly faded, and then disappeared completely. "There we go. Is that better?"

"Definitely. I also feel... Energized?"

"I can do that if I focus more magicka into the spell. It takes a lot, but the effects are worth it. I can also heal poison as well. Being trained by master mages in Valenwood has its benefits." Especially if one happened to be  _related_  to one of those mages. As she said this, she reached into her bag and produced a potion bottle with blue liquid inside. She downed it to restore her magicka reserves. The taste was the very definition of bitter and sweet at once, which had her retching the first few times she drank them, but she'd gotten used to it. After replenishing her magicka, she turned her attention towards her leg. She needed to sit down and completely undo her boot and knee pad so she could move the charred fabric of her pants out of the way in order to get to the burn. Luckily, she was able to push it up enough to where part of it was visible. Once it was healed, she redid her armor and turned to Delphine and Esbern. "Ready to continue on?"

While she was healing up, Delphine had taken the time to clean the dragon blood from her face and arms in the nearby river. When she heard Wyllin speak, she looked back towards her. "Yes, Karthspire shouldn't be too far from here. Be wary. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how dangerous the Forsworn can be."

The Bosmer's mind had been elsewhere as they walked, thinking about their encounter with the dragon. Suddenly, an arm reached out and stopped her movement. She looked over to Bishop and was about to complain, until she realized he was pointing ahead of them. Then she took a closer look. Forsworn. An entire camp of them. She swore under her breath.

Delphine and Esbern were standing off to the side, prepared for combat. The former glanced over to the Dragonborn. "What's the plan?"

"One second," She replied. The hills left it difficult for her to see just how many there were. She'd need to call upon her Thu'um.  _"Laas Yah Nir."_ Her words came out as nothing more than a whisper.The area before them lit up. She attempted to mentally count all of the Forsworn in the area. "Shit. There's got to be at least ten of them that I can see, and probably more. Divines only know how many are actually  _inside_ ofKarthspire. We need to be careful." Her bow was drawn as the auras faded, and she notched an arrow. "Come on. Stay close. If these bastards get one of us alone..."

Delphine nodded. "Understood. We follow the Dragonborn's lead."

Wyllin's footsteps were light as they entered the camp. The sun was beginning to set by that point, but it wasn't dark enough to completely shroud the group. They'd need to be careful, and almost certainly would need to get the first shots in if they wanted to stand a chance. Wyllin took aim at the nearest Forsworn. Her eyes narrowed at his figure, and then she let the arrow fly. It shot him straight in the back. The blow wasn't fatal, but he did fall forward, and several of the others were were alerted by his yelp. Not long after, two more arrows were fired, as well as a couple of ice spikes. They all hit their marks, further confusing the group of Forsworn. The Bosmer spoke up to the others. "Now, strike!"

Just like that, they all charged into the fray. Bishop had Karnwyr by his side. When he loosened a few arrows into a charging Forsworn, his wolf companion darted over to finish the job. Esbern and Delphine had moved further to the right, both focused on a pair of enemies close by. Wyllin had put away her bow for a moment and positioned her hands to cast a spell. From inside them, a purple and black orb began to form. One of the enemies caught sight of her doing this and began to make her way over, axe in hand. Though she was greeted by Wyllin's summons when she stepped too close. Three spectral wolves appeared before her, howling in unison. It caught her off guard and she didn't have time to rethink her plan before she was torn apart by the pack. The wolves were then ordered to their summoner's side once they finished their prey off.

The group was relentless, determined to rid the camp of Forsworn. However, the enemies soon regained themselves after the initial attack. Weapons and spells were readied. Delphine and Esbern had their hands full with their opponents, one of which was wielding dual swords and the other was using spells. The old Nord had summoned an atronach to his side, but the foes were still evenly matched against them.

Bishop had gotten into a ranged fight with one of the archers. He knew that they often poisoned the tips of their arrows and made sure to avoid them. Karnwyr stood by his side, awaiting orders from his brother and staring down the Forsworn before them, licking his lips with a predatory hunger.

Wyllin sent her wolves ahead of her, allowing them to clear a path further into the heart of the camp. Keen senses kept her on edge, and she was able to narrowly dodge a blade swung at her. She skidded to a halt and withdrew her daggers. Fierce green eyes trained themselves onto the warrior who dared to strike at her. She then charged. Several of her hits were deflected, and she found herself failing to overpower her opponent. Her summoned wolves were too busy fending off any others that tried to come after her while she was occupied. A poorly timed block on her part left one of her daggers skidding across the ground when she was struck. The Forsworn didn't give her much time to think before attacking again. The blade tore through the leather of her one sleeve and sunk itself into the flesh of her arm, causing her to cry out in pain. She held her injured arm against her chest.

Her opponent grinned as she made her way towards the wounded Bosmer, and her blade was raised again. What she didn't count on was her opponent dropping the other dagger and raising the hand of her uninjured arm. A gout of vile-looking green mist sprung from her outstretched palm, encasing the warrior and causing her to cough and gag loudly. She swung at a bunch of peculiar tiny spores that swarmed around her in a feeble attempt to get them away. Eventually, she was overpowered by the repulsive magic and crumpled to her knees.

As she did so, Wyllin retrieved her blade. While the magic around her opponent weakened her greatly, the Bosmer only seemed to grow stronger. The bleeding from her cut slowly began to stop. While the injury was still painful, it at least could be manageable until the end of the fight. She stepped up to the Forsworn, who was still choking and gasping for air. The dagger in her hand was raised, and the warrior made the mistake of looking up at her. The sharp blade slid cleanly across the Forsworn's neck, ending her suffering.

The victory was short lived, as Bishop called out to her. "Wyllin! Duck!"

She immediately dove to the ground without question. An arrow whizzed by her head and planted itself in the wooden Forsworn hut in front of her. She quickly scrambled back to her feet and fetched the dagger she'd lost. Then she turned in the direction the arrow came. From across a bridge, an archer had his bow trained on her. A quick flick of her wrist sent her summoned wolves chasing after him. He had no choice but to switch tactics and attempt to fend off the vicious specters now snarling and biting at him.

Bishop ran towards her, with Karnwyr bounding along by his side. "Are you alright?"

"As well as I can be." She was clearly winded, but it wouldn't take long for her to recompose herself. Quite a few of the Forsworn were laying dead by that point. The wolves were going after the archer and would undoubtedly bring him down soon enough. Still, something was off. "Esbern. Delphine. Where are they?"

Her companion pointed towards a small hill that led up to an elevated part of the camp. "Last I saw, they'd headed that way."

"Damnit. I told them to stay close. We should catch up with them. Come on." She bolted towards the hill, daggers at the ready. The apparent healing magic of her spell caused the pain in her arm to mostly numb.

At the top of the hill, Delphine was fending off two Forsworn from a clearly injured Esbern. Help came in the form of Bishop firing arrows rapidly at the enemies. His aim was off slightly due to the rate he shot his arrows, but most of them managed to stick. Karnwyr charged into the fray to help him out. Wyllin's priority was the injured Blade. He was clutching at his side, where an enemy's axe had buried itself into. She ran up to him and knelt down by his side. From her bag, she retrieved a healing potion.

"I heard inhuman cries," He mumbled to the elf as he took the potion she offered him. "They were coming just a little ways from here. I fear I know what they're from." He uncorked the bottle and drank the liquid inside, scrunching his nose at the taste.

Wyllin sighed. "A Hagraven. I've heard of them before." She'd never faced one, however. Well, there was a first time for everything. "It's no doubt preparing itself to strike. I'll take care of it. Send Delphine and Bishop my way once they're done." It was dangerous to go against one of these things on her own, and she knew that. Still, it needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. She sheathed her daggers and pulled out her bow. Just as she made her way back down the steps, her summoned wolves returned to her. However, a fireball struck one of them as they neared, and downed it instantly. The other two charged at the attacker.

The Hagraven emerged from the area of the camp it'd been preparing itself in. It eyed the wolves charging at it, and then began to conjure another ball of fire in its taloned hand. Before it could be cast, an arrow was shot its way, grazing its shoulder just enough for the spell to be cancelled out of shock. The disgusting abomination growled at its attacker. The remaining summoned wolves pounced on it and bit at its arms and face. However, they were swiftly defeated by its strong magic once it recovered. Their glowing bodies crumbled to the floor and vanished. By the time the monstrosity was able to stand back up, its elven attacker vanished into the shadows.

Slowly, the Bosmer crept around it, just out of sight. An arrow was notched in her bow. It was released and struck the Hagraven in the side, causing a disturbing screech to erupt from the thing's throat. She then rolled off behind an altar to prepare another arrow. Peeking out from her hiding space revealed two figures charging towards the disgruntled Hagraven.

Delphine was the first to strike. Her blade cut deep into the beasts leathery skin. One of Bishop's arrows struck then her in the shoulder. During this, Wyllin emerged from her hiding spot. With the freak distracted, she was able to carefully position her next arrow. When it was released, it struck into the skull of its target,finishing the thing off. With that, the camp fell silent. All of the enemies were gone. If they weren't dead, they were unconscious and bleeding out. Finally, the group was given a chance to breathe and regain themselves.

Esbern had his wound treated carefully by Wyllin. Her healing magic coursed through his veins, closing up the scar and cleansing the poison the blade had been coated with. The same was then done to the wound on Wyllin's arm. While it'd been mostly closed up previously, her magic finished the job. Given her race, poison wasn't as much of a problem, but it was still better to have such a thing not running through her system.

"So," Bishop began as he observed the scene before him. "You can heal wounds, conjure ghost animals, and shoot weird spore things from your hands? If I didn't have enough of a reason to never cross you, I think I definitely do now."

She chuckled. "I'm a woman of many talents, Ranger. Haven't I told you this before? You haven't even seen all of them, yet."

"Oh, really now? You have me interested..."

She glanced up towards the sky. It was getting darker by the minute. "Maybe you'll find out another time. Come on, we should get inside Karthspire and find the temple."

"Sounds like a good idea," Delphine said, clearly growing just a small bit tired of their banter. "I think we've all recovered enough to continue. We'll follow you in."

Wyllin set off, with the others behind her. They headed through the village and into Karthspire. Immediately, she was able to pick up on a muffled conversation in the distance. More of them? She wasn't surprised. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "There are a few in here. Get ready." She kept herself against the cave wall and readied an arrow. The cave had opened up into a small, dimly lit area. The torches, quiet footsteps, and crackling campfire were all signs of life. She was too worried about the potential of an echo to call upon Aura Whisper, she instead attempted to figure out how many of them were there by just sounds and smells alone. It was proving difficult. Her attention to her immediate surroundings lapsed for a moment and something cracked beneath her boot.

"What was that?" A voice called out.

Shit. Okay. So much for a stealthy approach. She looked back to see everyone preparing themselves. When she looked ahead again, she caught a glimpse of someone looking out into the darkness. Something was off about him. It took a moment for her to tell what it was, but then it struck her. Briarheart. Damnit. Unlike the Hagravens, she had dealt with those guys before. Their magic was powerful, and the last thing she wanted to do was be melted alive or frozen in a block of ice by him. He needed to go down first. With a deep breath, she took aim at his exposed heart, and then fired. Instead of sticking into what she wanted, it caught him in the shoulder. He growled in pain and grasped at the arrow sprouting from the wound. From under his mask, he made eye contact with the Bosmer that'd shot him.

"Kill them!" The Briarheart demanded. Two other Forsworn emerged and followed his order.

Delphine and Karnwyr charged in, with Esbern behind them. Wyllin stayed back with Bishop to shoot off arrows. Her attention was still on the Briarheart. He seemed to have taken an interest in her as well. She hopped out of the way of an ice spike or two and fired back at him with her bow. Finally, one of her arrows found its way to his heart and pierced it, cutting off his life force and killing him instantly. The other two were taken down not long after with the group's combined efforts.

"Hopefully that's the last of them," Delphine sighed.

Esbern nodded. "Come on. Sky Haven Temple shouldn't be too far from here."

The group followed him. They made their way through a few puzzles the Akaviri left to safeguard the temple from potential intruders. Esbern's knowledge of their symbols made them easy to decipher. Afterwards, they entered into a large room. The cavern opened up above them, revealing the nighttime sky. Despite clearly being ages old, everything around them was in remarkable condition. As though time itself barely touched it. Wyllin found it hard to not stare in awe, and they hadn't even entered the temple itself yet!

"Ah, here we are," Esbern said as he walked further in. "The entrance to Sky Haven Temple. It appears to be closed off by a blood seal, another one of the lost Akaviri arts. There's no doubt it's triggered by, well, blood." He turned to Wyllin. "Your blood, Dragonborn."

Her brows furrowed. "So, to open it..."

"Yes. You'll need to sacrifice a small amount of your blood on top of the seal. Once you do, the door should open."

Well, if there was no other way. She headed off towards the seal and knelt down by it, taking off her gauntlet in the process. One of her daggers was unsheathed and cleaned off as best as she could manage. Afterwards, she held the tip of it against her palm. There was a small amount of hesitation, but she eventually cut her hand open and allowed her blood to drip onto the seal. The floor began to rumble, and the seal began to glow. She tripped and fell backwards as she tried to get away from it, but eventually got to her feet. Slowly, the layers of the seal began to arrange themselves until they formed the Akaviri symbol for the Dragonborn. Afterwards, the face in the wall opened, revealing a pathway to the temple.

"In all my years..." Delphine mumbled under her breath as she gazed upon the sight before them. She then turned to Wyllin. "After you, Dragonborn. You should have the honor of being the first of us to set foot into Sky Haven Temple."

The elf did so after she finished healing her cut and putting her gauntlet back on. She slowly walked through the doorway, and then into the temple. The air inside was stale and caused her to cough a few times, but once she got over that, she looked around. Esbern and Delphine entered behind her and began to light up braziers around the temple. Bishop and Karnwyr were next. As the braziers were lit, she began to see more. The temple was carved from stone, with intricate details no matter where she looked. The beauties she saw in ancient Nordic ruins couldn't even begin to compare to what was before her. The old Blades were clearly masters of their craft, and the fact this place stood strong against the ages proved it.

"I sure hope all of this was worth it, ladyship." Bishop had walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulder. "Your little adventure is beginning to take its toll on me." She moved a hand up to ruffle his hair as she chuckled. He immediately swatted her away. "Hey now! What was that for?" He frowned as she just simply grinned at him. Esbern speaking up again caught the attention of both of them.

"And here we have it. This is Alduin's Wall." He gestured towards the large wall in the center of the room, which stood out among everything else. "Remarkably well preserved too. I've never seen a finer example of early second era Akaviri sculptural relief."

"Esbern!" Delphine snapped. "We're here for information, not a lecture on art history."

"Yes, yes. Let's see what we have here." He lit a brazier to the side of the wall and then examined the carvings. "Here we have Alduin. This panel goes back to the beginning of time, where he and his Dragon Cult ruled over Skyrim. Such dark days those were..." He then continued on to talk about the human rebellion, and how the fall of Alduin was the centerpiece of the wall. "See, here he is falling from the sky, with the Nord Tongues - masters of the Voice - arrayed against him..."

"So does this show how they defeated him?" Delphine asked. The tone in her voice was very telling of her growing impatience. "That is why we're here, right?"

"Patience, Delphine. The Akaviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is shrouded in allegory and mythic symbolism."

She huffed. "Of course."

Esbern studied the wall closely, and his fingers traced over something carved into it. "Ah, here it is! Coming from the Nord Tongues is the Akaviri symbol for the word 'Shout'. This must've been what they've used to bring Alduin down from the sky but..." He frowned. "There's no way to know which Shout they meant."

"A shout was used to bring Alduin down from the sky?" She turned to Wyllin. "I don't suppose you know anything like that."

"No, I've never heard of such a thing," She responded. "The only ones I could think of that might are the Greybeards. They are masters the Way of the Voice, after all."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that. I don't want the Greybeards involved, but I fear we have no other choice."

The Dragonborn tilted her head, curious about Delphine's distaste for the Greybeards. "You don't seem too fond of them."

"Because I'm not. Listen, Dragonborn, if they had it their way, you'd do nothing but sit on top of their mountain all the time and talk to the sky or whatever it is they do. They're scared of power, and they're scared of  _you_ having that power. Tell me, are you scared as well?"

"Of my power? No. Of course not!" Admittedly, it was daunting at first. After spending years as a wanderer, however, it was nice to have a sort of meaning to her life. Even if that meaning had forced her into taming herself and trying to uphold the title thrusted upon her.

"Good. You have the mind of a true leader then." She shook her head. "But that doesn't matter right now. What does is that we need to find out about this Shout. Go to the Greybeards and see what they can tell you. Luckily enough, they appear to have already let you into their little cult."

"Alright but..."

"But?"

"It's late. Perhaps Bishop and I should rest here for the night. Then we can start our trek to High Hrothgar tomorrow."

Delphine nodded. "Of course. Take all the time you need, Dragonborn. You've earned it."

The elf grinned. "Fantastic! I'll see about getting a fire started to make dinner!" As she walked off, Delphine turned to Bishop and raised an eyebrow at him.

The Nord shrugged. "At least she's a good enough cook."

The group sat down at the fire as Wyllin scrounged together what she could to make some type of meal. There wasn't much, but it was enough to make a decent stew with what she had once she cleaned out a cooking pot she found in the temple. While the four ate and Karnwyr was off to the side devouring a piece of meat, Esbern continued on with his stories about the Akaviri, ancient Blades, and previous Dragonborns.

Out of everyone, Wyllin was the only one who was completely attentive. Learning about her history was... Amazing. She knew Dragonborns had been around for ages, but only ever really heard of a handful. Primarily Talos. After a while, she knew they had to call it a night. Bishop was all but passed out, and Delphine was getting that way as well. Once she'd woken the former up, they all found beds to fall into.

* * *

 

Wyllin was more restless than usual that night, given everything she had to take in. A journey to High Hrothgar also awaited her as well, and she hadn't been there in a long while. How could she even  _begin_ to speak to the Greybeards about all of this? If the Blades didn't like them, then surely the same went for the other way around. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep, even if her nerves still made it difficult. Morning came soon enough, and she was on her journey towards High Hrothgar with Bishop and Karnwyr in tow.

"So, I'm thinking we can stop in Whiterun for supplies. We're running low on food, and I used quite a few potions back there to keep you guys going." Wyllin gestured towards her map as she spoke. "Unless you want to take a detour and go through Falkreath instead. I might be able to track down some good game there."

"Whichever way you think is best," He replied. "But ah... Can I tell you something about Falkreath?"

She looked up at him. "Is there something wrong? You were mighty keen about us finding a quiet place there..."

"I already said that was a joke," He groaned, placing a hand against his face. "No, ladyship, this is important. I... Know about some people there..." He paused as he noticed something ahead of them, and even stopped walking.

"You know some people there..?" Once she'd noticed he stopped walking, she folded her map and moved to stand in front of him. Her hands placed themselves on her hips. "That can't be the end of the story. Bishop, what is wrong with-"

"Quiet!" He hissed in a low voice. "Just ahead, at that shrine of Dibella."

She quickly turned around. Standing by the shrine he mentioned was the small group that'd stood out to him. It didn't take long for her to catch onto the reason why. More Forsworn? Shit. There was only three of them at least. Two appeared to be arguing about something while the third, a blond, stood closer to the shrine. The Bosmer was attempting to devise a strategy in her head, but then that blond made eye contact with her, and it threw her off guard. A hand tentatively went to the dagger at her belt.


	10. Greetings, Forsworn

No, she didn't want to start a fight with them. She'd done enough fighting as it was for the time being. Her hand fell back to her side. She just needed to continue walking and get away from the situation. While she walked by, that blond who made eye contact with her before seemed to have every intention of speaking with her, however.

"So you notice a group of Forsworn out in the open, yet don't pull out your weapon to attack them, despite the fact you clearly thought of it?" The way he spoke caught her by surprise. His voice was... Soft? She was stopped dead in her tracks. "I'm impressed by your self control, or maybe this is just a clever ruse?"

The stunned elf turned to face him. "I... You didn't seem like a threat. Why would I attack you?"

The Forsworn raised an eyebrow and then stepped closer to her. "Surely you know of how dangerous my kind is here. Maybe you've even gone up against them? For all you know, we could've just been waiting until your backs were turned towards us, and then we would strike."

"Are you trying to get me to attack you?" Maybe those words were a little too harsh. The blond's friends looked her way when she said that, immediately on edge.

Though the one who spoke to her just chuckled. "No, I'm simply curious. Forgive my impertinence. It's hard to find someone as open-minded as you are around these parts. Many would've attacked us on sight if they saw us here, but you chose to use words first. I admit, I'm intrigued by you."

As was she with him, if she were to be completely honest. No Forsworn she'd ever met acted the way he did. Most of them would've just tried to cut her throat open the moment they saw her. Others would've probably attempted to turn her into a ritual sacrifice by that point. Then here was the blond standing in front of her... "What exactly are you intrigued about?"

"The answer  _should_ be nothing," Bishop growled as he walked towards her. "The Forsworn have no business with us. Come on, ladyship. Let's get back to what we were doing."

"I can handle myself, Ranger." She rolled her eyes at him, and then turned her focus back on the blond. "So?"

"What isn't there to be? I can already tell you have a certain fire in your soul, and its brilliance is rivaled only by the beauty on the outside."

The words had her blushing a little. "How could you possibly know that?"

"I can see it in your eyes. Something lingers beyond them, like a forest about to be set ablaze." He tilted his head as he examined her further. "I have a feeling that you're not just some curious traveler. Tell me, who might you be?"

"Ladyship,  _don't._ "

"I'm known as the Dragonborn." Her words had Bishop swearing up a storm under his breath. She glared at him for a second, but then returned to the Forsworn with a kinder expression. "I suppose you now know the reason behind this 'fire' I have."

"Perhaps so." He crossed his arms and looked her over, though there were hints of a smile playing at his lips, but it never came to fruition. "I knew of the Dragonborn's return. Word of it has undoubtedly spread to even the most secluded parts of Tamriel. This also does explain the shouting we heard last night, and who else would go up against a dragon than the living legend herself?"

Him mentioning her battle with the dragon yesterday had her blood freezing. If he was around for that, then what else...

"Cael," The female member of his group spoke up, breaking Wyllin from her train of thought. "I don't think it's a good idea to be fraternizing with a Nordic legend, of all people. Especially now. This could be-"

"Enough, Robin." He put a hand out towards her and she immediately silenced herself. "She's made no attempt to harm us, though the same can't be said for the ones at Karthspire."

Fuck. Shit. Damnit. "I... Uh... That was..." It was like she'd forgotten how to speak.

"Necessary for your goals, no doubt," He finished. "I won't resent you for your actions, Dragonborn. Not to mention, things have been tense between Forsworn tribes, and maybe always have been. Not everyone is on the best terms with one another. You may very well have erased a potential threat."

She gave him a puzzled look. "Potential threat?"

"It's not important right now. What is important is that I have been blessed with the opportunity to speak with a legend personally. Could I possibly ask a few questions? If you have the time, of course."

Bishop made an attempt to answer for her. "No, we really don-"

"Don't go playing mouthpiece now, Ranger. Just go give Karnwyr a bath or something. The Greybeards can wait for a bit. They sure as shit aren't going anywhere." She'd noticed the concerned frown on his face, but didn't give a damn about it. Instead, she decided to start speaking with Cael again. "Anyway, sure. What do you want to know?"

"I've heard many things about you in the times I leave my village. There are whispers of your adventures all over the Reach. However, I didn't recognize you because there's never much about who you are outside of your title."

"That's not surprising."

"You don't like this?"

"It's... Difficult, to say the least. I go from some nobody to a legend among mankind. Then I get consumed by this title. I feel like I'm not myself anymore sometimes." While she fully embraced her title and her gift, she had to admit a part of her resented how it all had changed her now that she had some standard to live up to.

"I see. I also bear the burden of everyone thinking of you by your title, rather than your person. Would you mind telling me your name, if you would rather be referred to by it?"

She offered him a kind smile. "I'm Wyllin Springlock."

"A name that matches the beauty I've heard so much about. Apparently, you are also capable of compassion, even to the ones often viewed as enemies by men and mer alike. If I had known of this, perhaps I would've introduced myself sooner."

"I doubt that would've been a good idea," Robin mumbled under her breath, but Cael ignored her.

Wyllin decided to as well. "I was named for my grandmother, Wyllaneth. Apparently, she was a well known figure in her time as well. Maybe my legacy was decided long before I found out. I never met her, sadly. She'd died long before I was born. Back in Valenwood, my mother often told me about how much I act like her."

"Perhaps she also had your beauty and kind heart as well," He mused. "As you probably know by now due to Robin here, I am Cael. Like you, I'm also known by other names. The Raven of the Reach. Chieftain of the Rudahan tribe."

"Chieftain?" She tilted her head to the side. "I suppose it's an honor to meet you, then."

"The honor is mine, Wyllin."

Bishop grew impatient as they continued to speak, or maybe it was something else? "Ladyship, I think it's time to go."

"Didn't I tell you to find something to do?" She shook her head.

"Have I crossed a line? Your friend has grown restless."

"Just ignore him."

The Forsworn eyed him skeptically, but ultimately decided to continue. His attention turned back to the elf. "You have a strength of spirit to you. When I first saw you, I could sense the fire within it, and I suppose I know why now. To have the soul of a dragon..." He trailed off for a moment, but came back before Wyllin could comment. "The fierce nature engraved within your very being is only rivaled your compassion. Certainly you're a forced not to be reckoned with on the side of your enemies."

She scratched the back of her neck. "Most tend to hesitate when they know my title or hear my Voice. I've also been aligned with the Companions since I first came to Skyrim, so that also demands respect."

"The Companions?" Cael repeated. "Yet another thing not spoken of when you're mentioned. I suppose there are reasons for that, given how even they don't compare to the Dragonborn herself."

"I feel like some think that. Though the ones who've stuck with me the longest have never given me problems. That's all I can ask for."

"It's good to hear others have your back. You've chosen well in that regard. I do wonder though, have you made the choice of who you've sided with? There's a civil war plaguing these lands, and I'm sure either side would jump at the chance to have you aid them."

"Unluckily for them, I have no interest in involving myself with their petty squabbles." She shook her head. "I instead choose my own side."

"A side I would gladly be on, as would many others. Faith in a person such as yourself has the potential to move mountains. The problem is that being tied to fate comes with a choice, whether you desire it or not."

"This is my choice, and not even fate can change that."

"Of course it is. I never said it was wrong. Your devotion to your beliefs is honorable. There is another choice, however."

"What is that?"

"Freedom. The Stormcloaks claim to fight for it, but would gladly roll over like dogs to get what they want."

"Well, that couldn't be more obvious." She shook her head. "Some admire the Stormcloaks. I've always viewed them from an outsider's perspective though, given how I'm a foreigner in these lands. Trying to split away from the Empire is a foolish move. Though the Imperials aren't much better, given how they bow their heads to the Dominion's every whim."

"I see. For someone who wishes to remain out of it, you seem to have plenty of strong opinions."

"They're just my reasons  _to_ remain out of it. My first priority is the dragons plaguing Skyrim, not a war."

"It's good to see someone in these lands has their head in the right place. Your devotion to your cause is admirable." The words had her smiling, though the Nord behind her was shaking his head. "The dragons themselves must have a hard time dealing with you."

"I'll take down every single one I see. They deserve to be wiped from this land." She paused for a moment. "I do have a question for you though. Why are you asking me these things? How does this benefit you in any way?"

He gave her a questioning look. "Benefit me? Oh... Right. I sometimes forget the stigma of my people to outsiders. I assure you they're not all as they seem. Your dedication is admirable. Very few are devoted to noble causes like you are. Perhaps when you've dealt with the dragons, you could help unite my people. Allow us to become the rulers we once were."

"You're asking me to join you?" She mused the thought, and then sighed. "I'm sorry, Cael, but I don't think that'd be a good idea. I have a lot of enemies, more than just the dragons. I don't think adding yours to the mix would be a good idea."

"I have no doubt you'll one day be able to overcome your obstacles if you tackle them like you do the dragon menace. Perhaps one day in the future, you'll change your mind."

"Not happening, Forsworn." Bishop's voice had them both turning their attention to him.

Wyllin glared daggers at him. "Be  _quiet,_ Ranger."

The interaction seemed to amuse Cael. "Your companion doesn't seem to like the idea. I suppose you do have other things to get back to. Before you go, I want you to have something. Take this token to remember me by. Perhaps it could also function as a reminder that not all of my people are as savage as the Nords think us to be." He pulled something from a pouch at his side and took her hand. He pressed it gently into her hand. "I feel it suits you."

When his hand was removed, it revealed a charm made of wood that easily fit the palm of her hand, attached to a rudimentary looking necklace string. On it was an engraving of an elk's head. She ran her thumb over it, and then closed her fingers around the charm. "Thank you Cael, it's beautiful."

That was the first time he genuinely smiled since they started speaking, but then his eyes shifted to Bishop and that smile vanished. "Have I overstepped boundaries? It looks as though your companion wishes to tear my head off." He looked back towards her. "Beware, Wyllin. Jealousy is a vulgar trait in a person, and will only lead to trouble in the end."

Apparently, that comment was enough to make her companion snap. "Jealousy? Over you? Oh, that's just  _hilarious._ " He crossed his arms and stared Cael down. Despite his intimidating gaze, the Forsworn didn't appear at all fazed by him. "I haven't given two shits since you started talking, Forsworn."

"Bishop..." Wyllin growled, glaring at him. "I think you'd better-"

"Alright, that's it," Robin interrupted. "Who cares if she's the Dragonborn, Cael? We'd be doing her, and the rest of Nirn, a favor by getting rid of this moron."

He turned to her. "Oh please, go ahead and try it. I'd love nothing more than to get rid of this whore."

"Woah there!" The redheaded Forsworn, who'd been quiet since the start of the conversation, spoke up. "She's Cael's sister. Don't speak about her in such a way, or you won't live to regret it."

The Bosmer grabbed onto her companion's arm and tugged lightly. "Don't dig yourself into something you can't get out of, Ranger."

He ignored her. "Sister? That's his sister? I've seen wenches wearing more than what she... No, what  _all_ of you have on combined!"

Wyllin's hands curled into fists, and her grip was hard enough for her knuckles to turn white. "I  _SWEAR_  to the almighty Divines above that I will shout you into the nearby river if you keep this up! We have better things to be doing than needlessly making enemies with Forsworn!"

"Enough! All of you!" Cael growled, now clearly showing some form of soured emotion. He'd raised his voice for the first time since they started speaking. "As for you, Ranger, keep your eyes off of my sister, before I hunt you down and remove them from your skull."

That had Bishop cracking up bitterly. "I'd like to see you try, Forsworn. That'll be the biggest mistake you'll  _ever_ make about me. Besides, your sister is the furthest thing from my mind. I have a much better taste in women than her." He looked over to Wyllin. "Come on, ladyship. This has been a waste of time."

The elf sighed. "I apologize for his behavior, Cael."

"Don't worry about it," He assured her. "Perhaps our paths will cross again someday, and hopefully you won't have him by your side then. Farewell."

She gave him a polite wave, and then turned towards Bishop. Her forest green eyes might as well have been glowing red. Before he could piss off the Forsworn further, she grabbed him by the fold of his arm and tugged him away from the group. Despite her size, she had quite a bit of strength behind her, especially when she was angry.

"I can handle myself, you know," Bishop said when they were out of earshot of the three.

"In case you've forgotten, we have other things to do right now, like finding out this mysterious Shout that will let me knock dragons from the sky. Now, shut up and follow me." She didn't so much as look at him while they traveled through Whiterun hold. Instead, she focused on the amulet Cael had given her. She turned it over a few times as she examined it. She thumbed over the surface with the elk carving. It was beautiful, and expertly done. After turning it over a few times, she attached it to the front of her belt pouch until she could find a better place to keep it.

Wyllin then led Bishop and Karnwyr to Whiterun in silence, eyes on the road ahead the entire time. It was only when they neared the stables by the entrance to the city did she turn around and look at the Ranger again.

"Are you finally done acting like I just doomed all of Tamriel yet?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes and grabbed him by a strap on his jacket, pulling him down closer to her height. Before he could get another word in, she kissed him. He was clearly confused by the gesture, but also enjoyed the fire behind it. She lingered on it for a little while, enjoying the passion as well. Then they parted and she stared him dead in the eyes. "You piss me off so fucking much."

The Nord laughed. "If this is the kind of response I get, I might do it more often."

"I'm still completely willing to shout at you if you tempt me."

"I'll take my chances."

"Tch. Your funeral." She was about to turn around again, but something else popped into her mind. "Oh, and can I ask you something?"

He shrugged. "What do you wanna ask?"

"Before we met Cael, you mentioned something about Falkreath. Something about 'knowing some people'. What exactly did you mean by all of that?"

He thought about his response for a moment, and then sighed. "You know what? It's not important right now. I think we have better things to do than get into my past, especially  _that_ part of it."

"You know, that just makes me more curious."

"Well, that's too bad then."

She frowned at him. "Bastard."

He smirked at her. "Wench."

That smug look he wore made her want to slap him, but she refrained. Instead, she just started back on the path to Whiterun. They'd need to stop in for a while to rest and restock on supplies. On top of that, she wanted to talk to Adrianne about getting Bishop's sleeve fixed. Luckily, it didn't seem to be damaged beyond repair.

* * *

 

They decided to settle down in the city for the rest of the day. As Bishop was getting his armor repaired, she stopped by a few shops to restock on supplies. They agreed to meet at the Bannered Mare once they finished up their respective activities. The Nord idly browsed the wares offered at Warmaiden's while Adrianne fixed up his jacket. Surprisingly, she managed to make the thing damn near like new. He thanked her and paid what he owed before heading off.

Wyllin had stopped by Arcadia's Cauldron for a few potions and a little idle chatter. As the sun started to set, she eventually allowed the Imperial to close up shop. Once she was back into the market area, she made her way over to the tavern to meet up with Bishop. The sight she was greeted to wasn't pleasant at all to her.

As the Ranger was speaking to Hulda about a room at the inn, some woman in tavern clothing approached him. He looked away from the innkeeper and had a clear look of disgust on his face. "What the hell do you want?"

The woman chuckled. "My name is Neeshka. Do you think I'm pretty?"

"Not in the slightest. I do think that you should get lost."

"Oh, come on big man. Don't talk that way. What's someone like you here doing all alone anyway? I think you could use a woman on your arm."

"Funny thing is, I'm  _not_ alone." His eyes made contact with the slightly peeved Bosmer towards the entrance. "Now, get out of my sight flea."

Wyllin made her way over to the two, and her hands were placed on her hips. "I think you ought to do what he says, wench. I don't go easy on your types, especially when they apparently don't know the meaning of the word 'no'. A very unflattering trait, might I add."

Neeshka glared at the mer that walked up to them. "So this is what you call a woman? Oh please. She looks to be little more than a pitiful mutt. I could be so much better for you."

"Watch your tongue," Bishop hissed. "She's more of a dragon than she is a 'mutt'."

"Her? A dragon?" The wench cackled. "Oh, what is she going to do? Shout at me? I'd like to see her try."

"I'll respect Hulda's property and refrain from doing so," The elf said through gritted teeth. "I think you should get out of here before I change my mind."

She made an attempt to ignored her. "You don't need  _her,_ big man. Why don't we go and take a bath? I can wash your back for you."

"Not interested."

"What even makes her so special anyway? I could be good to you. Far better than whatever  _she_ could do."

"She just is. I doubt you could even begin to compare. Now, get lost."

"Just give me one night and I'll prove you wrong." She reached her hand out to touch him, which caused something inside of the Bosmer to snap. She grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from him, twisting her arm into a very uncomfortable position upon doing so. The pain caused Neeshka to cry out, which served to attract the attention of everyone who wasn't already looking at the two. "Let go of me, elf! I don't need some freak who smells like wet dog getting her disgusting stench all over me!"

Her insult only had Wyllin cackling. "You're complaining about the way someone else smells when the odor you give off is borderline nauseating? Listen now, you're going to walk off before you actually get me angry."

"Ladyship, you don't need to-"

She glared at the Ranger, and the look in her eyes silenced him. Her eyes... Were they turning a different color? Maybe it was just the lighting. She turned back to Neeshka. "She's clearly not listening to you, Bishop. I think she needs to be taught a lesson."

"A lesson? Oh please. I could take you on any- Agh!" The grip on her wrist was tightened. She hissed in pain. "Let go of me now!"

"Not until you agree to run back to your little hole and hide like the disgusting rat you are."

"Don't you  _dare_ speak to me that way, dog!"

"Then get out of here and you won't have to hear it."

She let out a frustrated noise, and then huffed and lowered her voice. "Fine, I'll go." With that, the elf released her wrist. She rubbed at it and glared at Wyllin. Despite what she'd previously stated, she didn't leave. Instead, she used her good hand to slap her.

The Bosmer stepped back and reached up to touch her stinging cheek. Then she growled in such a bestial way that no man or mer could ever even hope to replicate it. Hell, even most Khajiit would struggle with doing so. Her eyes had completely turned a golden yellow. "You've just made the worst and  _last_ mistake of your life, wench." The tavern girl didn't even have time to react to her words. Wyllin landed a solid punch onto her face, which sent her to the ground. She then grabbed her by the hair and raised her fist again. Her next attack was stopped when a pair of arms wrapped around her midsection and pulled her away from her target. "Ugh! Let me go!"

"Not a chance." He looked towards Hulda. "Have this woman escorted from the tavern please before anything gets too out of hand." The innkeeper nodded and quickly did what he asked of her. As she did, the Ranger managed to pull the extremely pissed off elf away from the tavern area and then half dragged her up the steps to the room he'd rented. The door was shut behind them and he blocked her way out.

"You didn't need to do that!" She hissed. "Let me at that sorry excuse for a woman! I'll teach her a lesson she won't forget!"

"And have you get yourself thrown into prison in the process? I don't think that'd be good for either of us, princess. We have a mountain to climb tomorrow, remember? Just calm down, alright?" He placed his hands on her shoulders.

She struggled, but he held on firm. "Like those guards down there can even touch me. I'm Thane! Besides, I think  _everyone_ can agree that she'd get what she deserves!"

 _"Wyllin,"_ He growled, clearly fed up by her childish ravings at that point. The tone of his voice caught her off guard, and her golden irises stared up at him in shock.

It wasn't long after that she finally relented, and then rested her head against his chest. Her eyes soon faded back to their normal coloration. "I'm... Sorry."

"It's fine. Emotions get the better of all of us sometimes, ladyship. I, of all people, should know that."

"I guess you're right." She eventually looked back up towards him. "At least you got me out of there. That wench definitely seemed quite taken with you though."

"Must be my animal magnetism."

"Animal magnetism, hm? Funny, I seem to be immune to your charms."

"Are you sure about that?" He grinned. "I think I can easily prove you wrong."

"Oh? Well, maybe I'll just let you try... At a later date." She stepped back from him and moved to grab her night clothes. "For right now, I think I'm going to get a bath and wash the stench of tavern whore off of me."

"Fine," He sighed, and then moved away from the door to sit down on a chair in the corner of the room. "But can I ask you something before you go?"

She looked over at him. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Back when that all happened, I saw your eyes change color. It was... Unnatural. What's going on with that?"

His words had her pausing. Fuck. That happened? She was too lost in the desire to rip Neeshka apart that she didn't even realize she was starting to transform. Gods, the last thing she needed was to let her beast take control in front of an entire tavern full of people. Suddenly, she was even more grateful to Bishop for bailing her out. "It's just... Something that happens when I get extremely angry. I can't really describe it."

He frowned and crossed his arms. "Wyllin."

"Maybe I'll get back to you on that when I find the right words." Or maybe he could just completely forget it ever happened. She probably wouldn't be lucky enough for that. "Please, I just need to cool off right now."

"Alright, but I  _do_ want an explanation eventually. Something just... Didn't feel right about all of that."

"All in good time, Bishop. I'll be back soon." She then turned to head out of the room. Fuck. How was she ever going to explain being a werewolf to him? She was lucky to have enough control over her transformations, but if her emotions got the better of her with him around... She didn't even want to think about what her beast side would do to him if he got too close. Instead, she focused on scrubbing herself raw once she was stripped out of her armor. It helped take her mind off the previous events. Once she finally cooled down, she got out of the bath and toweled herself off and got dressed. Then she made her way back to the inn room. Bishop had moved to the bed, and was sitting on it, faced away from the door. "You didn't have to wait up for me, you know."

He glanced over at her and then smirked. "Maybe I'm just not tired yet."

Her gear was dropped off and then she crawled onto the bed. "Or maybe you were just waiting for something that won't be happening tonight." She eyed over his back. He'd stripped himself out of even his undershirt that night. Gods. He was scarred up to hell. Her fingers traced over a few, which caused him to tense up. She immediately withdrew her hand. "Oh... Sorry."

"It's fine, princess. I'll never say no to you having your hands on me."

She chuckled. "Of course you wouldn't." Her hands rested on his shoulders. Thumbs rubbed into his skin for a few moments, which had a satisfied groan come from him. Then she leaned in to peck his cheek.

His eyes widened and he moved to look back at her. "What the hell was that for?"

"Hmm? No reason." She then laid down and tugged on his arm as an invitation for him to join her. He did so, and she curled up against him as usual. The events of the previous few days, mixed with the lack of sleep, managed to catch up with her. She was out soon after murmuring a 'goodnight' to him.

* * *

 

"Morning, sleeping beauty," She greeted once she realized he'd woken up. She'd looked over to him for a brief few seconds, but her focused then returned to the arrowhead she was carving. "You're up early."

"And yet you manage to be awake earlier." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Then he yawned and stretched. "Needed more arrows, huh? I don't suppose you could show me how to make those someday."

"It requires a lot of patience," She replied. "Bone looks easy to carve with at first, but these things can be delicate. The satisfying feeling when they hit their mark though... Nothing compares to that." She examined the arrowhead in her hand, frowned, and then went back to working at it. "You know, my kin's master craftsmen can make special arrows from the bones and tusks of fresh kills. Large cat bones make the target bleed faster, hawk feathers increase speed, mammoth tusk can knock an opponent off their feet. I've never been able to get a grip on it, but my brother has. His work with weapon crafting is just as phenomenal as his skills in marksmanship."

"You mentioned this brother before. The one who made that bow you use?"

"Yep. It hasn't left my side since the day I was given it. There's no weapon more reliable in the entirety of Tamriel than a handcrafted Bosmeri bow. Funny though. Not many outsiders tend to use them." She shrugged. Finally, she seemed satisfied with her arrowhead and moved to attached it to an already feathered shaft. "As for your question, I don't know. I could certainly make some for you if you bring me the materials. Teaching you though?" She chuckled somewhat awkwardly. "You don't strike me as the type who'd be able to have the kind of patience I mentioned."

"Hey! I resent that!"

She shrugged. "I only speak the truth, Ranger." He grumbled something inaudible under his breath, which had her snickering. Once she examined the arrow she made, she sat it down and began to pack up her things. The arrows she managed to make while he was asleep were placed inside of her quiver. "Well, we have a long day of traveling. I want to at  _least_ get to Ivarstead. Part of me thinks the Greybeards aren't going to be the most cooperative."

"What makes you think that?"

"Did you hear how Delphine spoke when I brought up the idea of talking to them? There must be some bad blood between them and the Blades. I'm pretty sure they won't be too happy when they find out I've been associating myself with them, but... Fuck. At least they're actually doing something to put an end to all of this."

"I take it the old men on top of that mountain don't give two shits about what's going on below?"

"Not really, no. They're extremely disconnected from the world. Apparently that's mandatory for the practice of the Way of the Voice or something." She shook her head. "That's not important. What  _is_ important is that we get on the road as soon as possible. Get ready and meet me outside." She tossed her crafting tools in her bag and got up.

After she headed off, Bishop managed to drag himself off the bed and throw his gear back on. When he walked outside, Wyllin had just finished feeding Karnwyr. The wolf looked towards and then happily bounded over to him. She couldn't help but chuckle as he tried to play with the still half asleep Nord, eventually knocking him into his ass. Karnwyr settled down soon after and allowed him to get back up. Then she beckoned for the two brothers to follow her out of the city. Ivarstead, and then eventually High Hrothgar, awaited.


	11. Road to Ivarstead

It'd been quiet between the two for a short while as they made their way to Ivarstead. Bishop had been lost in thought about something and Wyllin's nose was stuck in her map. It was only as they neared Valtheim Towers did the Ranger finally pull his thoughts together enough and spoke up.

"Ladyship, can we talk?"

"About what?" She didn't look up from her map as she responded.

He grabbed her arm, stopped her from walking, and turned her around to face him. "I want to ask you something. You're some mythical Nordic legend come to life, yeah? Strong, brave, and beautiful. You're something straight out of a bard's dream-"

"Can you get to your point, please?"

He sighed. "I just want to know something. This entire fucking province reveres you - or, well, they revere your  _title_ \- but how do  _you_ feel about it personally?"

His question surprised her. "How do I feel about being Dragonborn? No one's ever really asked that before..."

"Well, I'm asking you now. So, how do you feel?"

She thought about her answer, and found it hard to actually formulate one for some reason. Still, he deserved  _something_ at least. "It's funny when I think about it, actually. I came to Skyrim in order to join with the Companions. I never really intended to head down the path that led me to becoming Dragonborn, but here I am. How it makes me feel though?" She paused, and then smiled. "It's given me a sense of purpose in this world, which was something I lacked for the longest time."

"A sense of purpose," He repeated, and then frowned. "You feel your purpose is to constantly face a seemingly never-ending swarm of flying lizards hellbent on destroying you and the entire world itself?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it that way-"

His bitter laugh cut her off, which had her glaring up at him. "You must be out of your mind."

"Hey, you asked me about this, and I gave you an answer!" She placed her hands on her hips. "Why does it even matter to you anyway?"

He paused when she asked that question. Why did it matter to him? Fuck, could he actually even  _answer_ that? "I was just curious. You just seem so insistent on throwing yourself into harm's way for a bunch of pathetic idiots who probably don't even show you the appreciation you deserve for what you do for them. Who don't even see you for the person you are outside of you being the Dragonborn."

Each word out of his mouth seemed to just make her angrier. Karnwyr had backed away from the two a little bit, as if feeling the tension between them rise. "So? It's my life. I'll do what I want with it. If you don't want to deal with this, then you can always crawl back to the Sleeping Giant and waste your life there. As for me? I'll happily 'throw myself into harm's way' if it means I never have to feel like I did before I came to Skyrim again."

Leave her? The thought left a sour taste in his mouth for some reason. Could he actually just walk away at that point? She was right. Nothing was stopping him. "Hey now, I never said I wanted to leave. I just wanted to know why you feel this damn province is worth saving. Nothing's keeping you here, you know, other than your foolish sense of pride."

"Oh? And what do you propose then, Ranger?" She placed her hands on her hips. "Do you just want to run away from all this with me? Leave all the troubles of this province behind and find some quiet forest to camp out in for the remainder of our days? By the way, those days will be  _very_ limited if I let Alduin have his way, given all that Esbern's said about him." She then let out a frustrated sigh. "Listen, nothing you say is going to change what I'm doing. Skyrim's my home now, and I'm  _going_ to protect it. If you don't want to deal with it, then fine." She turned to walk away from him, only to be stopped yet again.

"I just want you to think about your actions a little more, before you get into something way over your head and... And get yourself killed."

Both of them fell silent after he said that. Wyllin's eyes had widened in shock. "You actually worry about that?"

"Well, it's getting more and more difficult to  _not_ worry _._ In case you haven't noticed, the past few days have been nothing but constantly facing off against enemies brought on by your quest to defeat Alduin. Not to mention that stupid thing you did for the Companions the other day." He crossed his arms. "I know I don't have to stay, but what else am I supposed to do? Just sit around and wait for news about you getting killed in a fight with Thalmor or eaten alive by some dragon?" Silence fell between the two for a good few seconds.

She laughed, though it was quiet and awkward. "Well then, the Ranger apparently  _can_ care about others. That's news to me."

"Oh just shut up and come here." Before she was able to say anything else, he pulled her into a hug. She found herself melting into it, her arms wrapping around him tightly. Gods only knew how long they stayed like that, but eventually they parted.

"You might want to be careful there. You could get a lady thinking you actually caught emotions for her." She managed a playful smile.

"Tch. You wish." He shook his head. "Anyways, don't we have some old guys on a mountain to talk to or something?"

She nodded. "Come on, let's keep going."

* * *

 

It was sometime in the early afternoon when they finally made it to the border between Eastmarch and the Rift. The journey had been quiet after their argument. They both still needed to cool down. At some point along the way, something caught Wyllin off guard. She stopped dead in her tracks and listened carefully. It was in the forest, not too far from where they were at. She knew the sound all too well.

"What are you-"

She cut Bishop off. "Shh. Listen closely." Her voice was quiet, and the look in her eyes told him she was extremely serious about what was going on.

He closed his eyes and listened. The sound was fainter to him, but he picked up on it. Buzzing? A swarm of bees? No. A twig snapped under the foot of something clearly much bigger than just a swarm of bees. "Spriggans."

"Yes. The damned things are blocking our path too if the direction that noise coming from is anything to go by." She looked towards Karnwyr. "Hang on. I'm going to ward his mind so they can't control him."

"You can do that?"

"Bosmer have a way with animals. Any of my kin can do these things. Just takes practice to unlock the potential." She waved for Karnwyr to come closer to her. When he was within arm's reach, she moved to press a hand to the side of his head and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she reopened them and stood up. "There. That should keep them out. We should tread carefully until we know how many there are." He nodded, and then allowed her to take the lead. She eventually decided to get a better vantage point and found a sturdy tree to scale. Once she was safely on one of the lower branches, she looked out. After carefully scanning the area, she looked towards Bishop. "I see two of them, but there's a cave bear there as well."

"Should be easy enough with the three of us." He smirked as he took out his bow. Karnwyr noticed him doing so, and crouched into a readied position.

"Be careful. These things are no joke."

"I've dealt with them before, ladyship. Don't worry."

She shook her head and positioned herself so she could take out her bow. She was lucky that they'd stopped in Whiterun for supplies. She was able to stock up on a few poisons. From her pouch, she pulled out a vial of grayish liquid. She carefully uncorked it and dipped her arrow inside. Once it was corked again, she knocked back her poisoned arrow and aimed straight at the bear. The arrow whizzed by the two Spriggans and straight into the side of their animal thrall. It fell and began to tense up as the poison ran through its body, paralyzing it for the time being.

The Spriggans were alerted and looked around for the source of the attack. As they did, Bishop readied his bow and took aim, and Wyllin leapt through the trees to get a better angle. Karnwyr ran on ahead to distract one of the Spriggans. It appeared frustrated due to its lack of ability to control the wolf dancing around it and snapping at its legs. The sight probably would've been comical, if it weren't for the fact they were facing off against dangerous enemies. The Spriggan raised its hand to take a swing, green bees swarming around its wooden claw. Before it could swipe, Bishop lodged an arrow into its shoulder, causing it to screech and turn away from the wolf.

Wyllin positioned herself again in a tree just over top of her enemies. She aimed at the Spriggan currently not being taken care of by the other two. Then she fired at it. The arrow pierced into its head, but she knew that wouldn't kill the thing off. She'd need to find its taproot, its source of life. Another arrow was readied as her target looked around, trying to find her through the leaves that obscured the majority of her figure.

Karnwyr continued to dance around his little playtoy, growling whenever the bees bit at him, but held on strong despite it. He bit at its legs to grab its attention, and then darted off behind it. The monster turned around to face him. Bishop noticed the green glow on part of its back was more noticable. A weak point, maybe? He aimed and sent an arrow flying at it. Sadly enough, it landed just below where he needed it to be. He cursed under his breath as the Spriggan turned around. It started to charge, but had made the mistake of turning its back to Karnwyr, who proceeded to tackle it to the ground and rip into it.

The Bosmer knocked back another arrow and carefully aimed it. As she did, she made the mistake of trying to move further along the branch, greatly miscalculating its strength.  _Snap._ She yelped as it gave way under her foot, causing her to lose balance. Her bow fell to the ground along with it, but she managed to grab hold of the remaining part of the branch and clung onto it for dear life.

"You okay over there?" Bishop called out.

"Yeah! I'm fine!" Her gaze turned towards the Spriggan, who finally caught sight of her. "Take that damned thing down before it gets to me!"

He tried to do so. One arrow hit its leg. Then its side. The thing continued on as wisps of yellow-white light engulfed it. Restoration magic.

"Fuck! It keeps healing itself!"

"You've got to be kidding me!" She hissed as she tried to get a foothold on the tree. No such luck. She quickly scanned the area for a solution. Karnwyr was too busy chewing apart the other, now nearly dead, Spriggan. Bishop's arrows were proving to be useless. If she dropped down, she'd surely injure herself.  _Damnit._ Finally, her sight settled upon the bear, which was nearly finished recovering from her paralysis poison. That'd have to do. She whistled to it to grab its attention.

The moment it caught her gaze, she managed to overpower the Spriggan's hold on its mind, and then sent it rushing after the monster now trying to claw at the dangling elf. It didn't take much. The bear charged into her enemy and knocked it down, and then ripped into it. Soon enough, the Spriggan's glowing died out and the bee swarm around it dispersed. Wyllin then sent her temporary ally running far off into the forest to avoid it going hostile against them once she released her grasp on its mind.

Bishop rushed over to her. "Let go! I'll catch you!"

She glanced down at him with a wary expression on her face. "Are you sure?"

"Just trust me, okay?"

Well, there wasn't an easier way down, and she couldn't get her footing either. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath before letting go of the branch. The landing wasn't the... Easiest, but he did manage to catch her in his arms, though the sudden weight had him stumbling forward and nearly falling over. Once she was settled onto her feet, looked up at him and grinned. "Thank you for that. I hope I didn't injure you."

He groaned and rolled the shoulder of the arm he was rubbing at. "I think I'll make it. Next time you're up in those trees, maybe watch your step?"

"I just forget the trees in Skyrim aren't as sturdy as the ones of Valenwood." She laughed nervously. "Well, at least that's over." Her eyes then turned towards the broken branch. She noticed her bow laying on top of it and rushed to grab it. After examining it, she breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't damaged at least.

Bishop's attention had turned to Karnwyr when she ran off. The wolf happily sat atop a pile of branches and sticks that used to be the Spriggan. While he was a bit messed up by the bees, he still happily wagged his tail as he showed off his trophy - one of the monster's arms - to his brother. The Nord chuckled and patted him on the head. Wyllin smiled at the two, but said smile soon vanished when she heard a sound.  _Another_ one? Really?

"Bishop. Get out of the way." Her eyes were trained just beyond him. She couldn't see the typical green of normal Spriggans illuminating from the body of the one coming through the forest at them. No. This one was orange. Her voice raised as she called out to her companion again. "Bishop!"

"What?" He looked up at her.

"Matron!"

He gave her a confused look, but then turned to where she was looking at. Fuck. He froze in place as the Matron charged at him. Wyllin had shouted for him to move again as she tried to line up her shot, but he didn't listen. When the Spriggan reached the Nord, he'd finally snapped out of his initial shock and just barely blocked off an attack it made with its claws. Then he shielded his face as it unleashed a swarm of glowing orange bees upon him. They stung at his exposed skin, causing him to growl. Karnwyr was snapping at its legs, but to no avail.

The elf had moved to the side a bit to get a clearer shot. It struck its target in the neck, but that only proceeded to anger the Matron more. Bishop swung at it again, getting a little too close to its taproot for its comfort. It lashed out at him, managing to knock him off his feet. As it approached the Ranger, his partner's eyes widened. She made a split second decision to charge in. Her shoulder collided with the Spriggan just as it was about ready to stomp down on Bishop. Without giving it a chance to recover, she called upon her Thu'um.

_"YOL TOOR."_

The flames that engulfed the Matron had it sinking to its knee and placing one clawed hand onto the ground beneath it. Even its healing magic couldn't help it with the flames surrounding it. As the fire from her Shout began to die down, she moved closer. A blade was drawn and then plunged into its taproot through its back. The moment the steel punctured it, the Spriggan was immediately cut off from its life force and collapsed into a pile of sticks. She pulled her blade out and turned to Bishop, who was struggling to get back onto his feet. She wasn't able to offer much support, given the fact he had a good foot on her in height and an obviously larger build, but she managed to help him up.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she pulled out a rag to wipe off the sap from her blade.

"Yeah..." He coughed. "Bastard managed to knock the wind out of me." His voice was strained as he said those words. Though he managed to collect himself after cough again and taking a few deep breaths.

Wyllin walked over to Karnwyr. The ward was released on his mind. He scratched at himself a little, which prompted her to check him over for any potential injuries. Luckily, the Spriggans didn't do too much damage to the wolf. Everything that did look even remotely nasty could be soothed and healed up by her spell. When it was over, he shook off the weird feeling he'd gotten from it and then licked her face as thanks.

Bishop watched as she checked over and healed up Karnwyr. After she finished, he chuckled, which had her turning to him. "You know, you don't exactly look so pristine yourself, ladyship."

She looked down at herself. Any visible skin, including her face, was scuffed up and covered in dirt and tree debris. Her armor fared no better. Then there was her hair... She groaned loudly. "I don't even look like I'd taken a bath last night."

"And you don't exactly smell like you did either."

"Hey!"

He laughed. "Just stating facts!"

She roughly nudged his shoulder and then walked off.

"Where are you going? Ivarstead's this way."

"To find a secluded part of the river. I need to get this shit off of me."

He planted his hand on his face. "Do we really need to take a detour to satisfy your girly habits?"

"Yes!" She continued walking, which pretty much forced him and Karnwyr to catch up. They traveled a little ways along the border of the two holds until she found a quiet area where part of the river forked off. The resulting stream was definitely wide and deep enough for her to wash herself off in. She began to undo her cuirass, but a hand rested against hers as she reached for the second strap. Fuck. He was still there.

"Why don't I join you?" The tone of voice he used had a faint blush dust over her cheeks.

It took a few seconds for her to register that she needed to respond. "Fine, but you better watch where you put those hands of yours." She turned her head and eyed him.

He backed up from her. "Alright."

The elf rolled her eyes and focused on what she was doing again. Admittedly, it was awkward to strip down in front of him, but she didn't have too many options. She just wanted to get cleaned off. Her cuirass and gauntlets were removed. Then she stripped out of the padded under shirt.

"No bra, hmm?"

"Don't see why I'd need one. Not much to support." That was a fair point. She was of a petite build, with only a few curves to speak of, and they were mostly in her hip region. Her armor did a rather good job at hiding everything, however, much to Bishop's disappointment. She moved to take off her boots. While she was doing so, she couldn't help but glance back at the staring Nord. Maybe she decided to stick her ass out a bit more than she needed to when she bent down. Hey, if she was doing this all in front of him, she might as well be a tease in the process. Her boots were unstrapped and then kicked off, and her knee pads soon followed. Then it was off with her pants. She was left in a pair of admittedly boyish-looking plain underwear.

From behind her, Bishop whistled. "The view looks great from back here, princess."

She turned around to face him, arms covering her chest area, hiding her exposed breasts from his sight. She looked him over. "You're still clothed. Too busy watching me?"

"Couldn't look away."

"Well, you better catch up." She smirked as she slowly backed towards the stream. Once she faced it again, she dove head first into the water. When she emerged again, she pushed the hair out of her eyes and looked over at him. "You coming?"

He grinned and then began to remove his armor as well. She watched as he stripped himself down to his underwear and then approached the stream. Then he jumped in after her, landing just off to her side. She had to turn away to avoid getting splashed in the eyes. When she turned her head back, he hadn't emerged. She looked around a little, but eventually heard him breaking through to the surface behind her. Arms wrapped around her and pulled her close against his chest.

"Sneaking up behind a lady is rather rude, you know," She grumbled under her breath, trying to ignore the fact her cheeks were reddening. Her fingers began to comb leaves and twigs from her hair, but stopped when she felt his lips against her neck. "I did get in here for a  _reason_ , you know."

"And so did I." His tone of voice mixed with the warm breath against her skin gave her chills. "Are those goosebumps I see, ladyship?"

"The water's cold. Guess I shouldn't expect a Nord to know that."

He doubted her words, but went along with them anyway. "I know a few good ways to keep you warm."

Her face was glowing red. She dove back under the water and swam away from him. She came back up a good five or six feet away. "Let me do what I tended to do first before you try and go all... You on me. In fact, you should probably wash up as well, since you don't exactly smell like daisies and sunshine."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine."

The Bosmer swam over to the shore to fish something out of her bag resting nearby. She then tossed a bar of soap over to Bishop, who barely managed to catch it before it had the chance to smack him in the face. "Here, that should help as well."

He looked it over and frowned. "I don't need this girly scented stuff on me."

"Tch. I don't use a whole lot of 'girly scented' things. It'll just clean you off and make you not smell like a cow's rear end. Now, if you'll excuse me." She moved further into the stream and continued to comb through her hair. Luckily, she didn't need to scrub down again thanks to bathing the previous night. The dirt covering her from the tree incident had already washed off by the point she was finished with her hair.

As Bishop was cleaning himself off, he looked over to her. "Hey, question."

"Go ahead."

"Does that stuff on your face ever come off?"

At first, she was going to take that as an insult, but then realized what he'd actually meant. "My warpaint? No. It's not exactly tattooed on there, but magic was used to keep it sealed on my face, even in water. Saves me from having to reapply it after every time I bathe due to my 'girly habits'." She pushed her hair behind her shoulders and then swam back over to him. "Well, at least you don't  _smell_ like an animal anymore, even if you still act like one."

He gave her a dirty look for that left-hand compliment, but then brushed it off. "Still need someone to wash my back, you know."

"Is this just you trying to get me to put my hands all over you?"

"Maybe it is."

She sighed and motioned for him to follow her. There was a decently sized flat rock close to the water's surface for him to sit on. Once he was there, she got behind him with the bar of soap. As she scrubbed his back, her eyes settled on his scars again. A finger traced along a particularly deep one near his ribs. "You must have a lot of stories." The words were said mindlessly, and she hadn't realize she'd actually said them  _out loud_  until he responded.

"Yeah, and not a whole lot of them are worth sharing if that's what you're getting at."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"They're not from daring adventures or valiant battles, princess. In fact, a lot of them are from a part of my past that I'd rather forget."

"Forgetting your past often means not learning from it either."

"Tch. Are you some wise elder now, here to scold me for how I go about my life? Please spare me. I can get along just fine without your words of sage advice. Anyways, if you're expecting me to spill my entire life's story to you, then you can forget it."

She glared daggers into his back. The soap bar was sat down, and then she began to rub the suds into his skin. "I'd at least like to know some things about you. I've already told you a lot about myself when you asked."

"Ugh. Fine. What do you want to know?"

The elf thought about what she wanted to ask, and then decided to start off with something small. "Have you lived in Skyrim all your life?"

"No, actually. I used to travel around in my youth. We visited most provinces. In fact, the only ones I don't remember us being in are Valenwood and the Summerset Isles. I only came to Skyrim maybe ten years before we met with my brother."

"Karnwyr? I thought you said you found him in the Rift."

"No, an actual flesh-and-blood brother. He's... He's not important."

Her mind drifted back to when she spoke of her sister when they were heading back from the Rift. He said he knew how it felt to have a sibling he was close to betray him. Maybe it wasn't the best for her to get into that. "What made you decide to come to Skyrim?"

"It's the one place I could go to where my past couldn't follow." It appeared as though everything he did in life was done in an effort to escape his past, and here this little elf sat trying to drag it all back to the surface again.

"I'm guessing the only reason you stay in this province is because of that as well."

"Well, it's better than staying because you want to constantly face off against winged lizards in some attempt to fulfill a stupid prophecy." A soapy hand reached up and thwacked him lightly across the side of his head. "Hey!"

"You earned it," She grumbled as she continued with what she was doing. "Anyway, is there any place you'd like to visit again?"

"Why are you asking that?"

She shrugged. "Vacation ideas."

Her response had him laughing. "Wow. So you actually want to eventually leave this ice heap? With me?"

"Not forever, but even legendary Nordic heroes need an escape now and then. So, are you going to answer my question or not?"

He thought for a moment. "I don't know. It's not like I ever became particularly attached to a specific place. You ever thought about going back to Valenwood? Might be fun to go somewhere new instead."

"Maybe. I should visit my family there at some point. It's been five years now. What I wouldn't give to see my brother again." She went silent for a moment as she dipped her hands in the shallow water to clean them off. Then she smirked and move to splash him up his back.

He immediately lurched forward at the feeling of the cold water, and then turned to scowl at her. "What the fuck was that for?!"

She cackled at his response. "I'm done!"

He eyed her as he moved to dip his hand into the stream. Then he swung it, causing a large amount of water to splash up and hit her on the side of her face. It had her squeak and move a bit further up on the rock. Before she knew it, she was on her back with a soaked and slightly peeved Nord on top of her. Their current position mixed with the smolder he gave her had a blush slowly begin to creep onto her face. "Tsk tsk. Ought to punish you for that little move."

The comment had her narrowing her eyes at him, though she looked like she challenging him. "I'd like to see you try."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Maybe it is."

"Then I'll definitely take it." He grinned and then shifted around and pulled her onto his lap. He captured her lips, and she cupped his cheeks when he did so. Fingers trailed up her sides and then moved to lace through her hair. He parted with her and then moved to her jawline, trailing kisses down to the crook of her neck. As he did, her arms wrapped around him and she cooed at the feeling, right up until she felt teeth graze her skin.

"Fuck," She hissed. She gripped his hair and tugged his head back. Eye contact was made for just a moment, and he could see the desire she had for him. Was she finally ready to give in? She leaned in to kiss him roughly, which he welcomed.

His hands trailed down her back, just by her sides, nails digging in just enough to get her shuddering. Then he moved to lay her back down in front of him. Kisses were trailed down her neck and to her one breast. The feeling of his tongue rolling over her nipple had her gasping. She murmured a few swears under her breath as she ran her fingers through his hair. He continued for a little while, then suckled gently before pulling back.

She crawled back onto him and caught him in a kiss again, though this one was much lighter and quicker than the previous. She nipped at his lower lip before pulling away. Her mouth then moved to his ear, and her voice was lowered to a whisper. "I want you. _Now._ " She practically growled those words to him.

He chuckled softly, almost feeling bad about the devious little stunt he was going to pull on her. Almost. "I know, sweetness." He moved his hands to her hips as she slowly began to grind against him. Then he suddenly moved her off of him and to the side. As he stood up, she gave him a confused look. "But maybe not today. We still need to get to Ivarstead."

She blinked a few times, trying to process his words and his actions. Right, he wanted to punish her. The realization hit her and she groaned loudly in frustration. Punishment? More like torture, if you asked her. "You  _ASS!!_ "

He just grinned at her as he walked away from her. He then grabbed his clothes and went to dry off before he got redressed. Admittedly, it was hard to turn her down when she finally decided to give herself to him, but he felt that she completely deserved it. He'd have plenty of time in the future to have his way with her, and he intended to capitalize on it whenever he had the chance. That time though? He'd just brave through the semi-erection he had going on. The sound of her growling and swearing up a storm as she stood up and stomped off towards her gear was more than worth it.

* * *

 

The elf was grumbling to herself for a good while after he pulled that stunt. Even once they were back on the road, she was still a little bit bitter about it. She eventually did calm back down before they got to the village. By that point, the sun was setting and night was quickly falling upon Skyrim. It was decided that they'd spend the night at the inn. When they walked inside, a few sets of eyes turned to face them. One of which belonged to a male Bosmer, who waved towards Wyllin.

As she waved back, Bishop looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You know him?"

Her eyes shifted towards him. "Hm? Oh, yeah. That's Gwilin. I've come to know a lot of the Bosmer in Skyrim. I never spoke to him much, but he was quick to thank me after I helped out with a bear issue the town had a few months back." She shrugged her shoulders.

"You and your need to help everyone..."

"Quiet, you. I just want a decent meal and a night's rest. We have a mountain to climb tomorrow and I want to get it done and over with as soon as possible." She then headed off towards the innkeeper, who stood at the counter.

After they'd eaten, she decided to order a pair of rooms for them. Was she actually  _still_ angry with him? The woman clearly knew how to hold a grudge. Then he walked into his and realized how impractical it would've been for them to sleep on the same bed. Maybe it was just a mixture of both of those reasons? Regardless, he got undressed and fell into the furs. Off to the room next to him, Wyllin soon did the same. Once she was curled up in the warmth of the bed, she quickly fell asleep, the frustration from his actions having worn off a while before. Still, her sleep still managed to be short-lived as it usually was.


	12. The Dragon on the Mountain

Bishop found Wyllin sitting in the tavern the next day. Her focus was primarily on the cup of tea and nearly emptied plate in front of her. Though when he started to walk over, she noticed him and offered a wave.

"Morning." Her voice was a dead giveaway as to how tired she was, but she otherwise tried to not show it.

"Didn't get much sleep?"

"Maybe a few hours. Finally gave up. Oh, I have something for you by the way." He looked at her curiously as she reached to her side and revealed a bundle of her handmade arrows. "You talked about wanting to make them. While I don't really have the time or patience to even attempt to teach you, I figured I'd at least craft some for you instead. You seemed to be running low on the ones you have anyway."

"Really had that much time, hmm? Well, thanks." He took the bundle she offered him and expected one of the arrows within it. "There's no secret Bosmer trick to using them, right?"

She chuckled and rolled her eyes at him. "No, they're just arrows. Do what you always do with 'em. Anyways, you should probably eat so we can get back out there. The climb up the Seven Thousand Steps is long and annoying as shit if memory serves."

"Sounds like a  _real_  fun time. Mind if I just wait down here?"

"You're going with me whether you like it or not."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"You're going to be the death of me, ladyship."

"Just eat so we can get a move on."

Once they were finished, they headed off. Karnwyr happily trailed behind them as they made their way to the start of the Steps. Wyllin looked up, took a deep breath, and then started going, with the other two following behind her once she did. The trek took a few hours. They passed by several pilgrims and hunters along the way. One had told them he heard howling just a little ways up, so they readied themselves for an eventual fight.

That fight didn't take too long to come. Two ice wolves appeared soon after they met that pilgrim. They approached the group from the area they were hiding in, ready to pounce at them. Karnwyr charged in first. He was clearly a bit smaller than they were, but easily distracted them by quickly dashing around. It gave Wyllin and Bishop enough time to line up shots, which eventually brought the wolves down. The Bosmer mused about at least collecting their pelts, but ultimately was convinced that they needed to keep going if they wanted to get back off the mountain before sundown.

After a good two or three hours, they hit the summit. High Hrothgar stood before them. They wasted no time getting inside. It was considerably more warmer than the blistering cold just outside. Wulfgar was the first one to see the three. She approached him and asked about Arngeir. He gestured towards the hall he was praying in. She nodded and headed over to it.

Bishop looked a bit confused by the exchange. "Why don't you just ask him?"

"Master Arngeir is the only one who can actually 'speak' to us. The others don't speak Tamrielic. They can only use their Voice. I doubt you want to have a conversation with someone in Thu'um."

"Well, that's kind of stupid."

She shrugged. "I didn't make the rules."

They approached Arngeir, who was sat in front of a window in a prayer position. When he heard footsteps, he looked up to see who was approaching him. "Ah, Dragonborn. It's an honor to see you again."

"A pleasure to speak with you, Master." Her greeting had Bishop rolling his eyes, but she didn't notice. "If I could have a moment of your time, there is something I need to ask of you."

"Yes, of course. What is your request?"

"I need to know about a Shout with the ability to knock dragons out of the sky."

Those words had the Greybeard frowning. "Where did you learn of this Shout? Who have you been talking to?"

Yep. She figured something like this would happen. "The Blades. They've helped me figure out what's going on with the dragons and their return."

"The Blades! Of course! They have a history of meddling in affairs they barely understand. Be warned, Dragonborn, their recklessness and lack of foresight knows no bounds. They'll seek to turn you from the path of wisdom, just as they've done to others of the dragon blood before you. Have you learned nothing from us? Will you simply be a puppet for the Blades? A tool to further their own goals?"

His words had her clenching her fists. "I'll never be a puppet. Not to them, or anyone else. Master, I am simply trying to fulfill my destiny. This is my purpose in life. Will you help me or not?"

"I can see their ways have already taken root in you," Arngeir responded. "No. I will not help you. Take time to meditate and return back to the path of wisdom."

Wyllin let out a frustrated noise. "For the love of all that is holy! I just want to defeat this Gods forsaken dragon and move on with my life! Fine, I'll figure this out on my own." With that, she turned around and began to walk away. As she did, a voice bellowed out from somewhere else in the temple, causing her to freeze in her tracks.

_"Arngeir, Rok los Dovahkiin, Strundu'ul. Rok fen tinvaak Paarthurnax."_

The shock from it gave Arngeir just enough time to rethink is actions. "Dragonborn, wait." She looked back towards him, and he sighed. "Forgive my intemperance with you. Emotions clouded my judgement. Master Einarth reminded me of my duty. The decision of whether or not to help you is not mine to make."

Her arms crossed over her chest. "Then you'll teach me this Shout?"

"No. I cannot teach it to you, because I do not know it. It is called Dragonrend, but its words have been forgotten over time. We do not regret this loss. Such a Shout has no place in the Way of the Voice."

"Alright then, who  _can_ teach me this shout?"

"Only Paarthurnax will know. He is the leader of our order, but lives in seclusion at the very peak of the Throat of the World. He speaks to us only rarely, and never to outsiders."

"Okay then. How do I get to him?"

"Only those with a powerful enough Thu'um will be able to clear the path to Paarthurnax. While I don't feel that you are ready, fate seems to have chosen otherwise." He gestured for Wyllin to follow him. "Come with me. I will teach you the Shout that can clear the way to Paarthurnax."

She was led into High Hrothgar's courtyard. The four Greybeards stood by a large fire, in front of a large stone gate. Harsh winds blocked whatever was beyond it. It looked as though one would be thrown right off the mountain if they tried to go through it. Her attention was brought away from the winds when Arngeir began to speak.

"The way to Paarthurnax lies just beyond that gate. I will teach you the Shout that will allow you to open it. This is our final gift to you, Dragonborn, use it well." After she nodded, he let out three Words of Power towards the ground by her feet. Each word carved itself into the surface of the stone beneath.

_"Lok..."_

_"Vah..."_

_"Koor..."_

Each word would glow as the Dragonborn approached it. Her world would grow blurry and dark for a brief moment as she took each Word within herself. Thoughts of what they meant to her would rush by in her head. Images of beautiful, cloudless skies flashed before her lidded eyes. Feelings of cloudless spring and summer days back in Valenwood comforted her. It granted her a sense of calm against the harshness of the mountain's winds within herself. Something blocked her from utilizing these Words, as it often did, but she knew Arngeir would help her with that.

"I will now grant you my understanding of Clear Skies," He said, which brought her attention to him. He held out his arms and bowed to her. Wisps of light emerged from him and surrounded her. His knowledge of the words filled her mind for a brief few seconds, but then faded. Once the lights disappeared, he spoke again. "This shout can clear your way up the mountain, but only for a time. The path to Paarthurnax is dangerous, and not to be embarked upon lightly. Stay true to your Voice, Dragonborn, and you will reach him at the peak."

She gave a bow of her head. "Thank you, Master Arngeir." Her eyes then turned to Bishop and Karnwyr as the Greybeards headed off. "Come on." She turned and started walking towards the arch that led to the Throat of the World. After inhaling deeply, she released her Thu'um upon it.  _"LOK VAH KOOR."_ Her Voice commanded the winds before her to clear. They slowed to a halt, revealing the path once hidden by them. Just like that, she and her companions were on their way up.

A few run ins with Ice Wraiths, the three eventually made it to the peak of the mountain. Wyllin took in the sight before her. Everything around them was quiet, with no Greybeard to be seen. Just as she was about to start questioning it, the sound of a dragon bellowed out, and the shadow of one flew overhead. Immediately, her bow was drawn, as was Bishop's. However, something stopped her from attacking. This dragon... He didn't seem hostile.

The dragon showed signs of age. His scales were grey and his eyes were dim. His horns appeared to be damaged, somehow. Wyllin quietly wondered what exactly he'd been through to get him that way. He landed before the group and looked at the elf. " _Drem Yol Lok_. Greetings,  _wunduniik,_ I am Paarthurnax. Who are you? What brings you to my  _strunmah..._ my mountain?"

After recovering from a brief moment of shock, she put away her weapon and replied to him. "I didn't expect to meet a dragon here."

"I am as my father, Akatosh, made me. As are you,  _Dovahkiin._ "

He knew who she was? Then why did he... Nevermind. "I'm here to learn the Dragonrend shout. Can you teach me?"

" _Drem._ Patience. There are formalities which must be observed at the first meeting of two of the  _dov._ " He turned towards a snow covered word wall. "By long tradition, the elder speaks first. Hear my Thu'um! Feel it in your bones. Match it if you are  _Dovahkiin!"_  Then he bellowed towards the wall.  _"SHUL."_  A burst of fire spewed forth from his open maw. When they cleared, a Word stood carved on the wall. "I can already feel the fire within your soul. I sense that you will have no problem with this one."

Wyllin approached the Word. As she did, the same thing that happened back in the courtyard happened again. Though something else filled her mind this time around. Visions of the burning sun appeared before her lidded eyes. She could almost feel the intense heat of it on her flesh. An overwhelming sensation of warmth engulfed her, but dissipated as quickly as it came. Soon, the bitter chill of the mountain brought her back to reality. She turned to Paarthurnax.

"A gift to you,  _Dovahkiin. Shul!_ Understand the sun as the  _dov_ do." With that, he granted her his knowledge of the Word, unlocking it within her. "Now, show me what you can do. Greet me not as elf, but as  _dovah!_ "

The final Word amplified her Thu'um greatly, and her Shout summoned forth a stream of flames, engulfing the dragon she was speaking too. It must've stung horribly, but he showed no signs of caring.

Paarthurnax shook his scaly hide and then lifted his head in the air. "Yes! _Sossedov los mul!_ The Dragonblood runs strong within you! It has been many ages since I've had the pleasure of speech with my own kind!"

She grinned. "The pleasure is mine."

He settled back down before speaking once more. "So, you have made your way here, to me. No easy task for a  _joor,_ mortal. Even one of the  _Dovah Sos,_ Dragonblood. You have something to ask of me, no doubt."

"Yes," She replied. "As I've said before, I want to know if you can teach me the Dragonrend Shout."

"Ah, I have expected this.  _Prodah,_ prophecy has brought you here. You would not come all this way for  _tinvaak_ with an old  _dov._ No, you seek your weapon against Alduin.  _Krosis._  I apologize,  _Dovahkiin,_ but I cannot teach you this. Your kind,  _joorre,_ created as a weapon against the  _dov._ Our  _hadrimme,_ our minds, cannot even comprehend its concepts."

His response had the elf frowning. "Well, if you can't teach me, then how can I learn it?"

"Hmm.  _Drem_. All in good time. First, I have a question for you."

"Oh, here we go," Bishop muttered under his breath, only to be silenced by Wyllin when she glared at him.

She looked back towards Paarthurnax. "What is this question?"

"Why do you want to learn this Thu'um?"

"I need to stop Alduin."

"Yes, Alduin...  _Zeymah_. The elder brother. Gifted, grasping, but also troublesome, as is often the case with the first born, but why? Why do you wish to stop him?"

"I am Dragonborn. It's my destiny to defeat him, is it not?"

Paarthurnax laughed quietly. "True, but your prophecy tells what may be, not what should be.  _Qostiid sahlo aak._  Just because you can, does not mean you should."

"You don't want me to stop him?"

"That is not what I'm trying to explain,  _krosis._ What I wish to ask is do you have no better reason for acting than destiny? Are you nothing more than a plaything of  _dez,_ of fate?"

She furrowed her brow. Why was everyone asking her that type of question? "I am the plaything of nothing or no one. I choose to fulfill this destiny, to defeat Alduin before he destroys this world."

"Then your vision is clearer than mine.  _Dahmaan_ , remember, Alduin also acts upon his destiny as he sees it. Not everything is as set in stone as the  _joorre_  sometime likes to think. I do admire your certainty, however. In a way, I also envy it. The  _dur,_ curse, of great knowledge is also great indecision."

"Anyways, this Shout..."

"Yes, of course. You have indulged my weakness for speech long enough. Hmm... Do you know why I live here, at the peak of the  _Monahven?_  The Throat of the World?"

"I never thought about it."

Paarthurnax nodded. "This mountain is the most sacred one in all of Skyrim.  _Zok revak strunmah._ This is where the ancient Tongues, the first mortal masters of the Voice, brought Alduin to defeat him."

"Using the Dragonrend Shout?"

"Hmm. Yes and no.  _Viik nuz ni kron._  Alduin was not truly defeated either. If he was, you would not be here seeking to... Defeat him. The Tongues used Dragonrend to cripple Alduin, but this was not enough. It was the  _Kel,_ the Elder Scroll. They used it to... Cast him adrift in the currents of Time."

Elder Scroll? That sounded only vaguely familiar to Wyllin. Perhaps she heard of it in a story from her youth? Well, there wasn't much time to think back on it. "So, they used this Elder Scroll to send Alduin forward in time?"

"Not intentionally, no. Some hoped he would be gone forever from this world, forever lost in the currents of Time.  _Meyye._  I knew better.  _Tiid bo amativ._ Time flows ever onward. One day, he would surface, which is why I lived here. For thousands of mortal years, I have waited. I knew where he would emerge, but not when. Alas, he was quick. I tried to call to him, to follow him, but he got away before I could do anything."

The destruction of Helgen. That keep wasn't too far from the mountain. She frowned, but decided to continue on. "How would this Elder Scroll help me?"

" _Tiid krent._ Time was... Shattered here because of what the ancient Nords did to Alduin. You can see it for yourself." His head gestured towards a spot not far from him and Wyllin.

She looked back. The area he'd gestured to was... Rippling in a way, as though the very fabric of reality itself within that small area was disturbed. The effect was faint, but visible when pointed out. She then turned back to Paarthurnax as he spoke again.

"If you brought that Elder Scroll back to the  _Tiid-Ahraan_ , the Time-Wound, you may be able to cast yourself back in time to when it was created. On the other end of the break, you would be able to learn Dragonrend from those who created it. Of course, nothing is completely certain when it comes to meddling with the  _Kelle._ It is your decision on whether or not this is a risk you want to take."

"I feel that I don't have another choice if I want to stand a chance against Alduin. Do you know where I could find this Elder Scroll?"

" _Krosis._ No. I know little of what has passed down below in the long years I've lived here. You're likely better informed than I."

"Hmm... Esbern or Arngeir might have some idea."

"Trust your instincts,  _Dovahkiin._ Your blood will show you the way. I will be here, awaiting your return.  _Lok Thu'um._ " His tattered wings expanded, and he lifted himself into the air. Afterwards, he flew off towards the other side of the peak.

A hand grabbed Wyllin's shoulder once Paarthurnax disappeared from view. "If I didn't think you were crazy before, I  _definitely_ do now." She turned to meet Bishop's gaze. "Do you have any idea about what you're going to be messing with?"

She pushed his hand away from her and then crossed her arms. "I think I'll be fine, Bishop."

"Fine?" He let out a dry laugh. "I don't know the first damn thing about Elder Scrolls, but even I can tell they aren't something we should fuck with. If they can send a  _dragon_ through time, imagine what they could do to you if you aren't careful."

"I'm not stupid. I know what we're dealing with here is dangerous. This is something I need to do, whether you like it or not."

He groaned and placed his head in his hands. "I swear, you're going to give me a heart attack. Fine. We'll go figure out where you can find this magical dick-with-time scroll, but don't say I never told you so if you find yourself in a mess you can't get out of."

"You don't have any faith in me, do you?"

"Not when you decide shit like  _this_ is a good idea!"

Wyllin just shook her head and walked past him. "Come on. We should get down the mountain before the sun starts to set. Or before I shout you off of it. Gods only know which will come first."

* * *

 

They'd stopped at High Hrothgar for Wyllin to speak with Arngeir. He didn't have much knowledge on the Elder Scrolls, unsurprisingly. Though he reluctantly pointed the Dragonborn in the direction of where she could find out about them. The College of Winterhold. Of course. She thanked him and headed out of the temple. The afternoon had set in by the time they were back down to Ivarstead. Instead of immediately setting out for Winterhold, it was decided (primarily by Wyllin) that they'd stay close to Ivarstead and then spend the night at the inn, but Bishop's offer of staying at Nilheim instead caught her interest, and she quickly agreed to it.

They'd stopped in town to get a few drinks and a small meal to take with them. Once they were there, Wyllin found herself sitting on the catwalk where Bishop had kissed her for the first time. She sipped at her bottle of ale as she observed the view before her. From that tower, it felt like she could see everything, and she felt that she'd never get tired of it.

Bishop moving to sit down next to her after he'd fed Karnwyr had her gaze shifting over to him. He hung his feet out over the edge of the boards. "Finally nice to get an actual break from this crazy adventure you're dragging me through."

His comment had her chuckling. "Hey, you're  _willingly_ going along with me." She moved closer to him once he settled down, her head resting against his shoulder once she did. Her eyes turned back towards the view of Eastmarch. "I suppose it is nice though. Part of me wishes I could sit here forever. This is one of the most beautiful vantage points in Skyrim."

His arm rested over her shoulders. "I get the feeling that you'd get restless before too long. You're not the type who likes to stay in one spot, ladyship." He chuckled and took a swig of his mead.

"Well, you're not wrong about that. Still, if I could..." She sighed. "Thank you for showing me this place, Bishop. You didn't have to trust me enough to bring me here. Fuck, you didn't have to trust me enough to even let me come with you to rescue Karnwyr."

"But I did, Gods only know why." The grumble that comment received had him laughing. Something was weirdly special about this crazy little Bosmer though. Some of the actions she took in the name of her title drove him insane, but he was drawn to her for some reason. He remembered their conversation back in the bandit hideout, where she talked about being the most fun he'd had in a while. Slowly, he was beginning to think she was right.

Her fingernails clicked against the bottle in her hands. It'd been a while since she'd let someone actually get close to her. Sure, she could make friends - or at least allies - with others in Skyrim, but never formed an actual attachment to any of them. The last time she'd felt this safe in another person's arms was when she still lived in Valenwood. Memories of him flashed through her mind and brought a scowl to her face. She quickly pushed them to the side as best as she could and then moved to look at Bishop.

He noticed after a few seconds, and then gave her a questioning look. "Something on your mind?"

"Hmm? No." She turned her gaze forward again and took a drink. "Just thinking."

"And what do those thoughts entail?"

"Definitely not what's undoubtedly on your mind right now." The rolling of his eyes brought a snicker from the elf. "You're just going to have to keep trying, insatiable little wolf."

"Little?" He shook his head. "I can assure you I'm not little in any sense of the word. Care to find out?"

"No. Not tonight."

"One of these days, your curiosity is going to get the better of you. I already gave you a taste back at the river. All you have to do is say the word."

His mention of the previous day had her cheeks flushing lightly. She still remembered how he teased her. The feeling of his tongue... Fuck, she  _still_ wished he'd gone further. Before the thoughts of what could have been managed to visibly fluster her further, she decided to change the subject. "So, Winterhold, eh? Ever been there?"

Her attempt at a topic change was amusing. She said those words just a little too fast. Still, he'd let it all slide for the time being. "No, I haven't. I never had a reason to go there. The city's a disaster zone and I don't bother with mages. You?"

"I figured as much. I haven't been there either. The closest I've managed was Dawnstar. I just wish I knew what to expect when we get there."

The Nord shrugged. "Well, the city itself has seen better days from what I hear. As for the college? You'll probably just meet a bunch of prissy, cold mages who act like they're better than everyone because they can do a few party tricks."

His comment about the mages had her frowning at him. "Hey! Not all magic users are like that!"

He only chuckled in return. "Stereotypes exist for a reason, princess. Why are you so offended by this? You might know magic, but you're not a mage."

"Why are you so quick to assume things about others?"

"They haven't given me a reason to  _not_  assume things."

"Have you met them?"

"No."

"Then why are you acting like you know them, then?"

"I just..." He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose with his middle finger and thumb. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"

She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Coming from you! Ugh! Ice brain."

"Knife ear." His 'insult' had her childishly sticking her tongue out at him, which prompted him to chuckle and nudge her shoulder. Afterwards, they returned to their drinks. They ate as they watched the sun slowly sink below the mountains. Other than their petty argument, everything was peaceful and enjoyable.

Once they were finished with their meal, they settled inside the tower for the night. A fire was lit and bedrolls were unpacked. It wasn't long before Wyllin found herself in her usual position next to him under the furs, slowly drifting off to the sound of the crackling fire.

* * *

 

The next day was spent traveling to Winterhold after they packed up and ate. Wyllin was in high spirits in the morning. Her and Karnwyr chased each other through the forests of the Rift, while Bishop just observed them as they went. That was until the wolf stumbled into a nest of Frostbite spiders, which the trio then had to take care of. Apparently, the elf wasn't too fond of the eight-legged monstrosities. She quickly scaled a nearby tree and took shots at any that dared to try and follow her up with her bow.

"It's safe now, ladyship!" Bishop called up to her after the last of the spiders were dealt with. "They're gone. Please tell me you didn't get yourself stuck up there."

She shakily managed to scoot her way back to the forest floor, sticks and leaves now tangled throughout her hair. As they made their way into Eastmarch, she grumbled profanities while she tried to pick the forest debris out of her long, strawberry blonde locks, much to the amusement of her Ranger companion. He then spent up until they reached the border of Winterhold teasing her about the encounter, and only stopped because she lobbed a snowball at his head.

As they neared the city, Wyllin began to see what everyone meant when they said Winterhold hit hard times. There was barely anything there! A few houses were scattered around. There was an inn as well, and the Jarl's longhouse stood in front of it, but that was about it. The Bosmer paused just as they neared the Frozen Hearth inn and turned to her companion. "So, the big question right now is how exactly are we going to get  _into_ the college? Surely they have some sort of entry procedure."

Bishop shrugged. "Can't you just flash your fancy title in their face and do a shout or two?"

She huffed. "I prefer avoiding having to buy my way into places like that unless I absolutely have to. I think I'll settle for trying to explain to them why we're here. It'll hopefully be enough for me to gain access to the loremaster."

"Yes! Saying you're looking for an Elder Scroll because it might hold the answer to ending the dragon crisis is much better!"

"I wasn't going to word it like  _that,_  you know. Just... Come on. Maybe someone at the inn can help us." She spun around on her heels and headed towards the steps that led to the Frozen Hearth. That's when someone caught her eye.

Apparently, she caught his as well. "What is such a rose doing out here in the cold, my dear? My name is Darren. Perhaps you'd like to come in with me so we can warm ourselves by the fires?"

Rose? She almost wanted to gag. Bishop's pet names were bad enough, but this was something else entirely. Still, he had the robes of a mage. Perhaps he could be useful?

Speaking of Bishop, apparently he didn't take too kindly to the mage's offer and spoke up before Wyllin had the chance to respond. "Don't mind if we do. I could go for a stiff drink and warm bath. Mind getting that ready for us, hm?"

Immediately, Darren's eyes shot towards him, but then returned back to her. "Who is this flea-bitten mutt following you around? How can you not find his company absolutely revolting, sweet rose?"

"I-" Nope, she couldn't even get a sentence in.

"Oh, but she likes me around, my little mage. Wanna know why?" He could hear her saying his name through through gritted teeth, but ignored her and continued. "I can keep her warm at night. More than you  _ever_ could. Now go ahead and make yourself useful. Papa needs a drink."

"I swear to the _Gods,_ Bishop-" Even Darren wouldn't let her talk.

"I'm not speaking to you, uncivilized ruffian. I'm talking to the lady."

"Oh, if only you knew how 'uncivilized' she could be as well." That comment had Wyllin jabbing the Ranger's arm. "Hey now!"

"Such disrespect towards a charming little rose is unflattering, you know." He then turned to Wyllin, though he failed to see her growing agitation. "If you'd like to join me inside, my dear, I'll be waiting. Though do leave this disgusting mutt out here, will you? I don't think the innkeeper takes too kindly to having mud and filth tracked into his place of work. I'll see you inside, sweet rose."

As he walked inside, she turned back to Bishop. Of course, he looked more than peeved by the encounter. "He might have some information about the college, you know."

"Hah! I doubt he's even set foot in there. Not  _every_  mage in Skyrim has ties to this place, you know."

"It's worth a shot. Do you think you could hold your jealousy in just for a little while? All I want to do is talk."

"Jealous? Me?" The Nord's eyes rolled. "Oh please, I'm far from that, especially with someone like him."

"Then why did you start antagonizing-" She stopped herself, realizing that she'd get nowhere with this conversation. "You know what? Just wait out here. I'll only be a few minutes."

"Alright, fine. Go ahead and do this. Don't say I didn't warn you when you find out talking with him is a useless waste of time." His comment only had her shaking her head before she turned around and walked inside.


	13. Winterhold

Bishop really couldn't resist, could he? She'd been inside for about ten or fifteen minutes before his curiosity got the better of him and he followed her in. She'd been sipping at a glass of wine and listening attentively as Darren was going on about his magical practices and travels throughout Skyrim. Then the topic of Bishop came up.

"It's not my place to criticize, sweet rose, but are you sure you're safe around that barbarian following you around? He seems more like a wild animal than a man to me."

She sighed and clicked the nail of her index finger against the edge of her glass. "You just don't know him like I do. He has his moments, even if he comes off like a brute to most others."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Most do."

"And it's better you stick to that mentality, mage." Her companion's voice had Wyllin tensing up. "It'll save you a whole lot of trouble."

Darren stood up from his seat. "I thought you were outside enjoying the conditions I'm sure you feel quite at home in."

"Even a wolf can enjoy a nice fire every now and then."

The mage's attention turned back to Wyllin. "Just as I said, an  _animal._  Why don't you come with me, lovely rose, and leave this 'wolf' to scorch his hide next to the flames."

"Do you really think she'll want to go anywhere with you? What could you even offer her?"

Darren glared at Bishop. "Don't tempt me, animal. I'll make you regret interrupting my evening!"

His threat had Bishop laughing hysterically. "You? You're just a boy overfilling his breaches, trying to act tougher than he actually is."

"Your audacious behavior needs correction, barbarian. To act this way while in the presence of such a charming lady. I never! Why don't we take this outside?"

The thought of the two fighting had the Bosmer abandon her drink and stand up. She grabbed Bishop by his arm. "I don't think this is a good idea. Maybe we should just get back to-" He pulled away from her and didn't bother responding to her suggestion.

"I'll step outside with you, mage. Just hand-on-hand brawling. No weapons, no magic. If you even try to cast a spell, I'll break the hand that made it."

"Sounds just fine to me. Let's go."

They didn't even bother leaving the inn. Everyone watched as the two brawled it out. It was pretty clear who had the advantage, however. While Darren got in a few solid punches, Bishop was ruthless in his strikes back. It was hard for Wyllin to watch, if she were to be completely honest, especially given the fact they were fighting over  _her._ It didn't take long before the Ranger landed a hit on the mage's face, and his hand went to his nose. Then another punch landed on his gut, which had him falling to his knees.

"I'll make sure you never cast another spell again, little mage." As Bishop was about to raise another fist, his companion decided to step in.

"Stop it! Now!" She hissed, shoving him away from away from Darren. "Gods above, Bishop! You're only proving he's right about you being an animal!"

"I never said he wasn't, Wyllin. Now get out of my way."

"Don't you dare take one step near him."

Oh, he dared. The moment he did, the elf let out an animalistic growl. The same type he heard when she attacked Neeshka. For just a split second, he could've sworn her eyes flashed that bright yellow color from before, and were her teeth... Growing sharper? He took a step back and held up his hands. "Woah, easy now."

"Wait. Out. Side." Once he did as she asked, her attention turned back towards the fallen mage and she knelt down next to him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't expect him to get like this."

"I think he broke my nose."

"Here, let me help you." She began to cast her healing spell, but he swatted her hand back down.

"I've lost. Leave me alone. It's clear that you are his."

"I belong to no man, Darren."

"Tch. No man would fight for someone like that if that's how he saw things."

That comment had her pausing for a moment. Could he really..? No. She shook the thought away and spoke up again. "Please, just let me help you."

"No, it's alright. I can handle myself. Just go back to whatever you were doing before I ever  _dared_  to speak to you."

She sighed and stood up. Apologies were quickly made to the innkeeper before she stepped outside. The moment she saw that smug look on Bishop, she slapped him across the face.

"Don't you dare do that again, wench!" He growled.

"Don't you dare try and kill someone over such a petty dispute ever again!" She retorted. "Gods, you really  _are_ an animal sometimes."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't-"

"Save it, Ranger. One more word out of you and I'll..." She stopped, and then sighed. "Let's just go." With that, she turned and walked away from him. Her attention was fully focused on the college, rather than that ill-tempered Nord behind her.

A high elf stood outside the entrance to the College of Winterhold. She noticed the group approaching and held out her hand to stop them. "Halt!" The three stopped. "Cross the bridge at your own peril. The way is dangerous and the gate will not open to outsiders."

"I'm just looking for information that's important to my journey," Wyllin explained. "I was pointed in the direction of the loremaster of the college. He might have the answers I need. Who are you, by the way?"

The Altmer shook her head. "My name is Faralda, and I am the college's Destruction master. I'm afraid we've had to become stricter with who may enter college grounds. You must pass a test to either become a student or prove you'll otherwise be an asset to the College. Regardless, we only allow mages or other scholars of magic in."

She pressed her lips into a hard line and thought carefully about her response. "I do have some magical abilities. I'm by no means a mage, but what I  _do_ know, I know extremely well. I have no interest in becoming a student, but perhaps you would be interested in the knowledge I picked up during my training in Valenwood?"

"Ah, so you're an outsider to Skyrim then? I suppose that should have been obvious. Very well, but I'll need to keep a very close eye on this test of your abilities. Now, tell me, what fields are you best in?"

"Uhh, Conjuration and Restoration, if I had to pick any of them."

Faralda clasped her hands together. "We'll start with them, then. Please, show me what you're capable of doing."

The Bosmer nodded. Between her palms, she started conjuring a sphere of black and purple. It swirled around for a few moments, before it was released on the ground before the group. Three spectral wolves appeared as the magical effect dissipated. They howled up towards the sky and then looked at the college mage.

The Altmer looked shocked. "Impressive. Outside of our Conjuration professor, few can barely handle one summoned minion. To have three at once... I suppose it is your wood elf blood that allows you to control them so easily?"

"Maybe so. They're still wolves, after all. I was also trained vigorously by my mother, who is a very skilled mage for a Bosmer. Again, what I know, I know very well. These wolves listen to every command I give them." She then proved it by waving her hand towards Bishop. The largest of the three snapped at his legs, causing him to jump back and nearly lose his balance. She snickered at the sight.

"What the fuck, ladyship?" He hissed as the wolf backed down.

"Payback for what you did to that poor guy at the inn."

"You're so petty, you know that?"

"Quiet, you. I'm taking a test here." His glare was met with a smirk. With that, she made a dismissive gesture and the wolves disappeared. She then turned back to the college professor.

"Well... Okay. So, what about Restoration?"

"Of course!" She murmured an incantation, and soon her one hand began to glow green. Her other was held out towards the Altmer. "If you would..." She took it, and then two fingers were pressed against the back of her palm.

Energy coursed through her body, and her eyes widened at the sensation. When Wyllin withdrew her hands, she looked at her own. "Truly gifted. This must be taxing on your magicka reserves."

"It is, but the effects are worth it when I need them. Just give me a moment." She pulled out a magicka potion. "In the meantime, what would you have me do next?"

"Well, there are a few other schools. Destruction, Alteration, and Illusion. Enchanting is another field we study, but it is not needed for this test." Faralda thought for a moment. "Why don't we go for Destruction?"

"Alright then. I was actually taught a few things about lightning, but I'm not the greatest with it. I'll show you what I know though." Wyllin raised a hand in the air and curled her fingers slightly inward. She focused heavily on the middle of her palm. It took a few seconds, but sparks began to emerge. Once they built up enough, she released the spell on the ground, leaving a sizable electrical burn mark on the stones. The sound and flashing light had Karnwyr bolt behind Bishop's legs.

"It would seem you could use some work on it, but that's not important." Faralda give her a smile. "And what of Alteration?"

"I think I know a few different ones. I've never had much use for stuff like flesh spells, but there are a few things that can bolster my abilities in combat. Let me see..." She thought for a moment. One of her daggers was drawn by her right hand, and then she held up her left, again curling her fingers slightly inward. Blue-green wisps began to gather around the center, creating an orb as they fused together. She then held up her hand and released the spell. A green aura surrounded her, and light shone around her weapon. She looked back towards her companion as her hand lowered itself. "Care to be my test subject?"

He raised his hands and stepped back. "All good here, princess. You keep doing you."

His response left her chuckling, and then she looked towards the professor. "This spell imbues both myself and my weapon with multiple abilities. Increased regeneration, damage, fortitude, you name it. It's a very versatile utility spell, but I don't use it very often."

"As most do with that school. Tolfdir, our Alteration professor, encourages the use of it more often, however. Perhaps his teachings could be of benefit to you."

The Bosmer shrugged in response. "As for Illusion... I don't know much about it. I was hardly able to cast a reflection of someone. I never had much use for it anyway."

"Can you at least attempt to show me what you know? I'll spare your friend over here and allow you to cast it upon me." Bishop muttered a 'thank you' to her.

"I'll see what I remember of my teachings. I apologize preemptively if this... Goes wrong." She turned herself towards the professor and extended her hand. A brief incantation was murmured under her breath. Were the words right? Fuck. Soft blue particles began to form and swirl around. It was clear to see that she was struggling a great deal to keep everything under control. Eventually, she released the spell, which nearly knocked her off her feet upon doing so.

A shaky, ghostly image began to appear before Faralda. It mimicked the form of the Altmer loosely. The spectral figure made brief eye contact with her, before losing the ability to keep its form and dissipating into the ground. Well, it could've gone worse.

The Ranger was quick to help Wyllin stand up straight again. The Bosmer was clearly drained by the casting. It'd consumed almost all of her magicka reserves, even despite the potion she drank. She almost looked ready to pass out. The high elf quickly used a Restoration spell to rejuvenate her before she could.

Once she was completely back on her feet and feeling less dizzy, she looked towards Faralda. "So, um..."

"Well, this has been an experience. You are rather adept in a few fields, even if others need work. No mage here is a master of all of them. I think we could learn quite a bit from each other." The mage smiled. "Welcome to the College of Winterhold, miss..."

"Wyllin Springlock."

"Why does that name sound familiar?"

The wood elf shrugged. "Must be one of those names."

"Well, okay then. If you would please follow me. I can direct you to Mirabelle Ervine, our college's Master Wizard. She can explain more about what goes on around here, if you desire to know. She can also point you in the direction of the Arcaneum, and to Urag gro-Shub, the loremaster you are seeking."

"The loremaster is an Orc?" Wyllin asked, giving the Altmer a curious expression as they walked.

"Yes, many are surprised. I assure you that he is a very knowledgeable individual, and can help you out with whatever you wish to know."

Faralda led the group up the bridge, lighting up mana pools as she went. The gate at the top opened up once she activated the last one. She then said her goodbyes before returning to the entrance of the bridge once again.

The three headed further into the college grounds, though the Bosmer froze in her tracks at the sight before them. Her hands balled into fists at the sight of a Thalmor speaking to a Breton, who was probably the Mirabelle mentioned previously.

Mirabelle's voice sounded slightly agitated as she spoke with the robed Altmer. "I believe I've made myself rather clear."

"Yes, of course. I'm simply trying to understand the reasoning behind this decision."

"You may be used to the Empire bowing to your every whim, but the Thalmor will find no such treatment here. You are here at the pleasure of the Arch-Mage. I do hope you appreciate the opportunity, Ancano."

A frustrated sigh came from the Thalmor. "Yes, of course. The Arch-Mage has my thanks."

"Very good. We're done here."

As the Altmer walked away, Wyllin approached Mirabelle. "Good evening."

The Breton turned to face her. "Ah, another new student? We've had quite a few join recently."

She gave a nervous laugh. "No. I'm just a fellow mage seeking information from the college's loremaster. Faralda will be able to explain more whenever you have the chance to speak with her."

Mirabelle eyed the Bosmer skeptically. "I suppose you wouldn't have gotten in without her aid. Very well, the entrance to the Arcaneum lies just inside of the Hall of the Elements." She gestured towards the grand doorway to her left. "It will be the door to your right when you first enter. Please seek me out if you have any questions. We are also accepting new students, should you ever wish to sign on."

Wyllin nodded and smiled politely. "Thank you, ma'am." She then motioned for Bishop and Karnwyr to follow her.

"Oh, and one last thing." Mirabelle's voice had them turning back towards her. "Please leave the wolf outside. I assure you no harm will come to him. We just have... Certain rules in place when it comes to the animals within college walls."

"Of course." Her eyes shifted to Bishop. "Perhaps I should leave my Ranger here outside as well then?"

The Nord groaned. "You're really getting on my nerves, ladyship." Her grin had him rolling his eyes. He told Karnwyr to stay just outside of the door. Then he followed Wyllin inside the building and into the Arcaneum.

They eventually located the Orc in charge of the place. He didn't even look up from the book he was reading as they approached. "Welcome to the Arcaneum, of which I'm in charged. It might as well be my own little plane of Oblivion. Should I see you causing any kind of trouble here, I'll personally have you torn apart by angry Atronachs. Now, how may I assist you?"

His threat had caught the two off guard. Eventually, Wyllin managed to find her voice again and spoke to him. "I'm looking for knowledge on Elder Scrolls."

Now  _that_ had him looking up towards her. He eyed the elf skeptically. "And why would you need this information? Do you even know what you're talking about, or are you just someone's errand girl?"

She almost wanted to groan. "Of course I know what I'm talking about! Listen, I was pointed here by some of my associates on matters relating to a recent epidemic in Skyrim."

"I assume you mean the dragons?"

"Yes, that. We think the Elder Scrolls might help us in stopping things before it's too late."

Urag sighed and closed his book. "Do I even want to know why you're looking into these dragons? Actually no, I don't. Listen, there really isn't a whole lot written about the Elder Scrolls. Most of it is lies leavened with rumor and conjecture. I can bring you what we have, but it isn't much."

"Anything would be helpful at this point."

The Orc nodded and stood up. "Give me a moment. I'll see what I can find." He walked over to the bookcases off to his left and searched around for a moment. Eventually, he found what he was looking for, and then made his way back over to the two. "Here, this is what we have. I told you, it's not much, but there might be something there."

The elf picked up the books and thanked him before moving to sit down at a table. The first book didn't offer much insight, outside of the things that could potentially happen to those who read the Elder Scrolls without taking proper precautions. The text worried her a little, but she tried to not let that deter her from her goals. The second book... Well, that was something else. She found herself muttering certain lines out loud as she tried to comprehend what the author was even going on about. Each page seemed to get more and more confusing. Eventually, she decided the person who wrote this was batshit crazy and shut the book. Her attention turned back towards the librarian. "This... Ruminations book is incomprehensible."

"Aye, that would be the work of Septimus Signus. He's the world's master on the nature of the Elder Scrolls but, well... He's been gone for a long time. Too long."

Wyllin furrowed her brows. "Gone? Where did he go?"

Urag sighed. "He said he found some Dwemer artifact in the ice fields up north. That was years ago. Haven't heard from him since. If you want to try and find him, be my guest."

"It's our best shot. Thank you for your help." She stood up from her chair.

"Hmm hmm." The Orc then returned to his book.

Bishop had remained quiet why she leafed through the pages of the books, not really paying much mind as she began to mutter certain lines to herself. Urag's comments about the ice fields when she started talking to him again caught his attention, however. As his Bosmer companion began to walk out of the Arcaneum, he grabbed her by the shoulder. "Are you sure that we should be doing this? Those fields are dangerous, Wyllin. If you fall into that freezing water..."

"I'll be fine, Bishop. There's no need to worry." She then smirked and nudged him. "Besides, you're a big, strong Nord, right? I think you could keep me  _plenty_ warm while we're out there."

He caught onto what she meant and gave a wolfish grin in return. "That I can."

The elf chuckled. "I think we should rest at the inn for tonight though. I don't want to be caught out there in the middle of the night, especially if it starts snowing."

"Good idea. Hopefully that little mage took a hint and left that place."

"Don't you  _dare_ think about starting anything with him again."

"I won't, I won't. Damn."

Luckily, that wouldn't happen. When the two exited the Hall, he was standing outside, talking to one of the other students. Bishop made brief eye contact with him, but the moment Wyllin caught on, she was quick to rush the Nord along. They then headed down the bridge and into the town. By that point, night had all but fallen, and they both were exhausted. The Frozen Hearth had warm food and good drinks. It was better than what the two expected from such an isolated city in the middle of northern-ass nowhere. A room was then rented and they were shown to it. The door was closed and they got ready for sleep.

The elf took off her backpack and stretched. Her one hand then went up to rub at her shoulder. "Gods, I feel tense." Everything that'd been happening lately had taken its toll on her, and it was all finally starting to catch up, even if she didn't exactly want to admit it. Her mission was stressful, but she'd make it through. She always did.

Her idle comment had Bishop smirking. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. His voice lowered. "You know, I could give you a good massage."

His offer had her blushing lightly. She made an attempt at a chuckle. "Anything to get your hands on me, huh?"

"Well, you're not wrong."

"Fine, but watch where you put them."

That had him smirking. He then watched as she stripped down to her pants. There were a few times that he could've sworn she moved in such a way that showed off her curves, and he definitely wasn't complaining. He sat down on the bed and motioned for her to get in between his legs. Once she did, he positioned her hair out of the way, muttering about how there was just  _so_ much of it. Something had caught his eye when he did, however. A thumb brushed against a scar on the lower part of her neck, to the left side. Claw marks? "Where'd this come from?"

It took a moment for her to register what he was asking about. "Vampires. Morthal. One got a biiiit too close, but he's dead now. Well  _officially_ dead. Don't you have better things to be doing than asking about my battle trophies?"

He chuckled. "Fair point." His gloves were then removed and he placed his hands on her shoulders again. The warmth of them against her bare skin felt amazing. Thumbs rubbed circles against the tense spots he found. It wasn't long before the pain began to melt away under his touch. Hell, she practically melted as well.

At one point, his hands moved down her arms, and then made their way to her waist. He enjoyed the soft noises she made as he traced his fingers up her sides. Soft kisses were placed against her neck, causing her to tilt her head to the side. They trailed up to her ear. "It's so easy to see how much you want me." The seductive tone in his voice had her heart racing. Her face was burning red. Shit. He really wasn't wrong. "I think you have tension going on in other places than just your shoulders, sweetness."

Before he had time to process it, she had him pushed onto his back, legs straddling his hips. Her lips caught his as she fumbled with the straps on his jacket. Why did that damn thing have to be so complicated? After a few seconds of struggling, he eventually helped her get it off, and his undershirt was soon to follow. She allowed him just enough time to strip them off before she was back at it again. Her mouth trailed down to his neck, and then his collarbone, where she kissed and nipped at. Meanwhile, his hands were more than willing to explore what he could of her body, though they eventually settled on her ass. A rough squeeze had her digging her nails into his shoulders, and a strained grunt came from his throat when her teeth sunk into him. So she wanted it rough?

Fingers tangled themselves in his hair as she pulled herself up to look in his eyes. Her hips were slowly beginning to grind against his, and his hands settled at her thighs as she did so. It was difficult to get any form of friction going between the leather, but the motion clearly showed how needy she was. How did this stupid, grumpy, beautiful bastard get her stomach so tangled up in knots? Why did she want him so badly? She pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Her teeth caught his bottom lip, and hers eventually parted, allowing his tongue to slip inside. She could still taste the sweetness of the honey mead he had earlier. Gods, it probably tasted sweeter coming from his mouth. When they parted again, she let out a soft whimper. Then she saw the look on his face.

"I want you." His voice was low, and the growl behind it had shivers going up her spine. "Here and now. I know you feel the same about me. Come on, princess. Let me show you a night you won't soon forget."

She wanted to give in more than she'd ever admit. In fact, she almost did. Just seconds before the words he wanted to hear could leave her mouth, she froze. The sounds of the tavern rabble just outside began to fill her ears, and she was suddenly hyper aware of her surroundings. Immediately, she sat upright. "N-no. Not here." Her eyes shifted to the door. "There's too many..."

He groaned and sat up. "To Oblivion with them!" The frustration in his voice admittedly startled her a little. "I want you to scream my name as I take you. Who the fuck even cares if they hear? Let them!"

The elf breathed in deeply, trying desperately to compose herself. "I'm sorry, I can't. Not here." As wild as she could get, she still had her limits.

The shakiness in her voice had his expression changed. He sat up and brushed his fingers against her cheek. "It's... It's alright." He gave a half hearted laugh. "You're one hell of a tease, ladyship. One of these days, I'll have you."

She managed a smile and nudged his shoulder lightly. "Good luck." She glanced over to her bag. 'I'm... Going to see if they have a bath. You can... Deal with yourself. You probably need to." She clambered off of him. Her legs were shaky at first, but she managed to make her way over to her bag to change. Afterwards, she swiftly exited the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Bishop to his own devices.

Luckily, the inn still had a warm bath. Wyllin took the time to compose herself as she washed her skin and hair, probably a bit more roughly than she should have. She was mentally hitting herself for backing out, especially after what he did a few days back, but she knew her boundaries. At least he wouldn't push her too far. After a little while, she heard his voice calling from the other side of the door.

"Mind if I have my turn?"

"Oh! Uh, give me a minute to dry off." She quickly hopped out and toweled off as best she could. Then she redressed and opened the door. "I hope you cleaned up in there."

He laughed. "Don't worry. You won't find any surprises."

"Good. I'm going to go lay down." With that, she headed back towards the room. It didn't take long for her to pass out once she'd crawled back onto the bed. She was more mentally exhausted than anything. There wasn't so much as a murmur from her when Bishop walked into the room after he'd finished up. He just laid down and wrapped an arm around her. She'd backed up against him a little in her sleep, which he smirked at. Eventually, he was out as well.

Despite how peaceful she might've looked to him, her dreams were mostly plagued by recent events. Facing off against dragons, issues with Thalmor, the overbearing feeling of her title. She put on a brave face when conscious, but her dreams were one place she couldn't escape how much it all bothered her, especially when her beast blood never allowed for a decent night's sleep...

* * *

 

She was still sleeping by the time Bishop woke up. A rare occurrence. Though she'd shifted positions so her face was buried against his chest sometime during the night. He carefully got out of bed, stretching once he stood up. Once his gear was back on, he headed out into the tavern area. He ordered food and sat down at one of the tables. At some point, Wyllin had woken up as well and managed to stumble into her armor. She then headed out of the room after getting dressed.

"Not a morning person today?" Bishop asked as she sat down next to him. "Typically you're up at the ass crack of dawn."

She grumbled something nonsensical at him and then waved down the server. After sleepily inquiring about tea and roasted salmon, she planted her head on the table and covered it with her arms.

He awkwardly patted her on the back. "Listen, if it's about last night..."

She moved the position of her head so she was facing him. "It's not, don't worry. I'm just exhausted."

"By what?"

"Everything. You try being Dragonborn for a few days and tell me how that goes."

"Hah! Like I'd ever lift a damn finger for the plights of this world. There's a reason why you're Dragonborn and I'm not, ladyship." He then shook his head. "You really don't have to be doing this to yourself. You don't owe this province anything."

She sighed. "I know, but I can't just leave everything behind, even if you want to think otherwise. I'm not that type of person."

"I think it's too early in the morning to be arguing about this with you."

"Good boy."

"I'll try to ignore the fact you just called me that..." Her quiet snicker had him frowning down at her. "On a different note, I've been thinking about something."

Him saying that had her lifting her head off the table. "What?"

"I want you to have this. Here, give me your hand." She lifted her hand up and opened her palm for him. He pressed something inside of it. "It belonged to someone close to me, but he's... Well, that doesn't matter now. I don't have much of a use for this thing, but women love these kinds of trinkets, don't they?"

"I'm not exactly that kind of woman, but..." She looked at what he'd given her. His wolf ring? She'd noticed him wearing it before, and also noticed the fact he'd never taken it off. Her finger ran over the intricate engravings along the band, and then rested atop the wolf head centerpiece. "It's beautiful, but why would you give it to me? Isn't it important to you?"

"Do you want me to write you a poem about my reasoning or something? Listen, as I said, I don't really have much of a use for it. I'd rather see it in the hands of someone I..." He thought his words through carefully. "Of someone I like being in the company of, and who I can trust won't throw it down the next well she sees. Look, just take the goddamn thing."

The Bosmer chuckled. "Thank you, Bishop." She slipped it onto her middle finger. It would barely fit the actual finger itself, but she felt it was secure enough over her glove. If anything, she could make minor adjustments later. Her eyes then turned back to the Ranger. She leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. "You're really sweet sometimes, you know that?"

He groaned and rubbed at the spot where she kissed him. "Sweet? I don't think that word describes me very well, ladyship. Don't think I'll be showering you with presents now. And the ring looks better on you anyway."

As he said that, the server walked up with Wyllin's order. She thanked him and paid for her meal. After eating, the two got ready and headed out of the inn, with her feeling better than she did when she woke up. The trek through the ice fields was going to be long. They didn't even know where to  _begin_ looking. Wyllin spent a good portion of it complaining about how 'up north' was a bit too vague for directions. Still, she knew Urag had about as much of a clue as she did on where this Septimus guy was.

"I think we passed this same iceberg about five times already," Bishop commented.

Wyllin sighed. "It's not that hard to get turned around when everything nearby is just ice and snow. Come on, it has to be around here somewhere." She clutched the cloak she wore in this weather tightly around her. Wood elves weren't built for Skyrim's harsh climate, especially in the most northern regions. That wasn't exactly going to stop her.

He noticed her little struggle and cracked a smirk. "You're looking a little cold."

She glanced towards him and quirked a brow. "And your point is?"

"Just making an observation." He shrugged. "I can make sure you'll be warmer tonight by a fire though."

"Insatiable wolf," She grumbled, and then turned her eyes back to the fields. Something just within her line of vision through the snow caught her interest. "Hey, I think there's something just up ahead. Come on, this might be it."

The three headed over and found an entrance to an ice cave. Boards were blocking off the entrance, likely to keep out some of the cold and snow. Signs of recent activity were around, including a boat that'd been used to cross the icy waters. Once they entered the cave, Bishop moved the boards back over the front of it. A small tunnel eventually led them to a cavern. The most glaring thing about it was a large box, clearly of dwarven make. A fire was lit somewhere towards the center, and various items and foodstuffs were scattered around. Only one other being inhabited the area, and he appeared to be mumbling to himself about the Dwemer while looking at the box. Well, he was probably their guy.

Wyllin was about to approach him, but was stopped when Bishop's arm blocked her path. They made eye contact, and she frowned at his action. "I'll be fine."

"This guy sounds like he's crazy."

"What do you expect from someone who deals with Elder Scrolls? It'll only be a few minutes, and I have my blades on me." With that, she shoved his arm out of her way and walked over to the man, awkwardly clearing her throat before speaking. "Are you... Septimus Signus?"

He babbled about something incomprehensible to her, as though he hadn't even heard her words. Fantastic, this guy was off his rocker. It took a bit of patience, but Wyllin eventually got the information she needed out of him, even if it was mostly in riddles. Alftand. Blackreach. Tower Mzark. She was handed two objects that Septimus stated were vital to reach where she was going. Once she found the location of Alftand, the two quickly said their goodbyes and headed out, with a confused Karnwyr following in tow.

"Are you sure we should be doing what this loon is telling us to do?" Bishop asked once they were back out in the cold. "The way he talked made it sound like his brain took the wrong turn and landed itself a permanent stay in the Shivering Isles, if you ask me. I wouldn't trust the guy as far as I could throw his scrawny little ass."

"It's the only thing we have to go off of. Unless you have a better idea?" She squinted at him as he shook his head. "Then we're off to Alftand. I hope you're ready to take on some Dwemer constructs. Probably Falmer too. There's always Falmer." She shivered at the thought. "Come on, let's go."


	14. Ill-Fated Adventurers

Wyllin and Bishop decided it was best to stock up on rations for the journey ahead. A brief visit was made to Winterhold, where the elf bartered with the innkeeper. Jerky, dried fruits, anything that could last them a while. Really, they didn't know how long they'd be spending inside of the dwarven ruins, so it was better to be prepared. After getting what they could, they started their journey.

The adventure to Alftand was a pain in the ass, to put it lightly. They'd trudged through heaps of snow for what felt like forever. Wyllin had managed to face-plant into the snow a few times, much to Bishop's amusement, until he found himself on the ground next to her due to a sly placement of her leg. Karnwyr watched the two, and tackled Bishop once he was on the ground. Wyllin sat up and watched as the wolves wrestled one another in the snow, unable to control her laughter.

"I think he's winning, Ranger," She giggled as Karnwyr licked his face.

Bishop shoved the wolf's snout away and groaned. "Hey, a little help here?"

"No, no. Go on. I'm enjoying this."

"Ladyship!" The frustration in his voice only had her laughing harder at the scene. Eventually, he managed to get Karnwyr off of him and stand back up, grumbling to himself as he cleaned off snow from his armor. After a fair amount of teasing from the elf, they continued on.

It took maybe another half hour for them to reach Alftand. The three stood in a camp outside of the sealed off entrance. It was clear that they wouldn't be getting in through the gated lift, so they decided to search around the snow-covered camp. In one of the tents, Wyllin discovered a journal by a few empty barrels. It gave her the list of names of the people who resided in the camp. From the looks of it, they entered long before she and Bishop arrived. A short while of searching further uncovered a set of boards leading down to where the previous party had presumably entered. It was a grand old time trying to shimmy down them without getting blown off by the winds, but they managed.

The inside felt foreboding, to say the least. They made their way through the ice cave. As they were crossing over into where the others had broken through into the ruins, a voice called out from further in. A male Khajiit, yelling at someone who was presumably his brother. Immediately, they became far more aware of their movements.

Another journal was found at a table, written by one of the members of the previous party. Wyllin leafed through the pages as Bishop inspected a barred gateway nearby. Apparently, the journal was research notes on the dwarven constructs, specifically the broken spider machines covering the table.

"These dwarves really locked this place up, didn't they?" The Ranger muttered to his companion as he looked over the bars. "To think such an advanced race managed to just completely disappear one day... I find it hard to believe." After he said that, something caught the attention of all three of them. Clanking could be heard not too far off.

Wyllin immediately sat the journal down and drew her bow, and Bishop followed suit soon after. The clanking was from another spider construct, but this one was still very much activated. A few well placed arrows managed to bring it down before it could touch any of them. The elf carefully approached it after, with a blade drawn. She looked it over to make sure it was actually down. The machine sparked a little in the places it was struck, but even that eventually stopped, much to her relief. She gestured for Bishop and Karnwyr to follow her.

They made it a short ways further before the voice they heard earlier spoke up. The Bosmer again had her bow in her hands. Light feet carried her over to a wall, where she was able to peer out at the Khajiit. He was rambling nonsense about Skooma at the corpse of one of his kin, digging through the satchel by his side. Wyllin was about to draw her bow, but something caught the Khajiit's attention. He turned and looked her directly in the eyes.

"You! You're the one who took it!"

Wyllin backed up. "No I-"

"Don't lie to me, thief! You stole J'darr's Skooma!" He pulled out his woodcutter's axe and held it up. "You'll pay!"

"I didn't take anything!" Why was she even arguing with this guy? She pulled out her daggers and readied herself. Just as the Khajiit was going to attack, an arrow planted itself in his skull. Her eyes immediately darted towards Bishop.

"Thanks for distracting him, I guess," He said as he put away his bow. "Damn, that shit really fucks with your mind. These Khajiit always seem to be more prone to it effects than any other race." He looked over the now dead Khajiit in front of him.

"Yeah, well, it's over at least. You put him out of his suffering." She looked towards the body J'darr was screaming at and saw another journal. Curiosity got the better of her and she walked over to it, picked it up, and skimmed through the pages. "Details about their travels. The last entry though. 'He's started hallucinating creatures coming out of the ice and the ruins, the others are starting to think he may be behind Valie's disappearance, but I know he would never do something like that.'" She closed the journal after reading that portion aloud and sat it back down. "I don't think they were hallucinations, and I don't think he was the one responsible for this Valie person."

"Falmer?"

"Undoubtedly." She looked towards the next part of the ruins they busted into. "Well, we should keep going."

The two carried on after, with Wyllin stopping every now and then to observe her surroundings. A few more journals were found, and each one painted a more unnerving story about the fate of the group than the last. More automatons made themselves known, but were taken down easily enough by the three. Karnwyr had once bolted too eagerly at a dwarven sphere, which ended in him slipping on oil that'd been spilled on the ground near it and crashing into the thing. The force had it slamming into a wall and breaking it into pieces. The confused wolf stumbled back and shook the oil from his fur. Admittedly, the other two couldn't help but laugh at the scene. Wyllin checked him over for injuries and healed up the few that she saw.

Further along, signs of Falmer began to appear, which put the elf on edge. She'd only encountered the disturbing creatures a handful of times, but it was definitely enough to have her unnerved by just the thought of them.

"Be careful," Bishop muttered over to her. "The abominations like to poison their arrows."

"I know," She responded. "My blood at least makes me resistant to it. Doesn't make their damn arrows any less painful though."

"Well, try not to get shot then."

"I wasn't planning on it, smartass." She stuck her tongue out at him and then continued onward.

The unnerving story turned into a gruesome one as they continued. Eventually, they reached an area where the pathway down had collapsed. They could see it on the floor below, with a dead body on top of the pile. Well, it probably wasn't the best idea to go down, but Bishop didn't have much time to tell Wyllin that before she sprung off of it. She managed to stick the landing for the most part without injury, and then waved up at him to follow her. Bishop's landing wasn't as graceful as hers. He tumbled to the ground by her feet, causing her to snicker at him. Just as he was about to get back onto his feet, Karnwyr decided to hop down as well. At least his brother was able to break his fall. Luckily, the Ranger had only been slightly scuffed up by the encounter. After he'd gotten back up and tried to chide the Bosmer for her antics - which she completely brushed off - the three were ready to continue on... Though they caught the attention of creatures lurking below.

Karnwyr was the first to hear it. He growled, ears lowering and stance widening. The other two took notice and immediately readied their weapons. Slowly, they made their way towards the source of the sound. A couple of Falmer were searching around for whatever had come down from above. Wyllin knocked back an arrow and aimed at one of them, firing into its back. A loud screech rang out from the creature's throat as it turned towards her. Quickly, it charged, weapon raised above its head. A shot from Bishop slowed it down enough for Wyllin to reload. Her next one managed to hit it right through its useless eye. It dropped to the ground, knocking its friend off balance.

The wolf charged at this one, pouncing on it and snapping at its face. The sight of him ripping it apart had the elf wincing and turning away for a moment. Once the pained shrieks from his victim were silenced, he happily trotted off as though nothing happened. Their victory was short lived, as the sound of more of those abominations could be heard. With the advantage of their height above them, it was easy to pick the majority of their enemies off, save for one.

"Bishop," Wyllin called, catching the attention of the Ranger. "That one's a mage."

"Just perfect," He grumbled. He pulled an arrow back and fired. The damned thing landed  _just_ shy of its mark.

An arrow to its arm immediately had it turning to shoot lightning from its staff in the direction of its attackers. Wyllin was able to pull Bishop aside before the bolt struck him, though he nearly lost his grip on his bow. He swore under his breath as he fumbled with his weapon. Meanwhile, his companion was taking aim. Given that their enemy had turned to face them, she managed to land a strike right in the middle of its chest. The force knocked it back enough to where it lost its footing on the ramp and fell to its demise.

Once that was over, they continued down the ramp. They eventually came across a door that led into a different area of the ruins. Immediately, they were met with another Falmer camp. With a bit of stealth and luck, the small group of them were taken down, and then the next ones after. Karnwyr was ruthless on any of the ones he could get his teeth sunken into. Eventually, they came across a sight that caught them by surprise.

The Falmer around it charged them when they heard the Bosmer gasp. She recovered from her brief moment of shock just in time to pull out her blades and narrowly block the war axe brought down on her. As she dealt with her enemy, Bishop and Karnwyr distracted the other one. The wolf danced around as the mage tried to aim its bolts at him, only to be struck each time by one of Bishop's arrows. Once they both were taken down, Wyllin turned her gaze back towards the room.

"Fuck..." She mumbled under her breath as she eyed the remains of two members of the party she'd been following the story of. "I'm no stranger to harvesting the flesh of man and mer due to the religious practices of Valenwood but... This is excessive. These poor people were tortured." Were they still alive when those monsters carved into them? She didn't even want to know.

Bishop moved to pull her away from the scene. "I think we'd better keep moving."

"We should, before I get sick." She turned away and looked for a way to exit the area, with Bishop and Karnwyr following closely behind her.

A door opened up to the area where the Falmer she'd shot off the platform landed. A few of its kin were gathered over the body, still clearly confused about where it came from. After the horrors of the previous room, a new type of anger towards these blind abominations was ignited within the Bosmer. She drew her bow and took aim, shooting quicker than her companion had ever seen her do before. Each one of those monsters was struck cleanly through the skull before they could even react.

Afterwards, a hand found its way to her shoulder. Bishop could sense how she was feeling, and was more than a little concerned. "Easy there, ladyship. It's okay."

She didn't bother turning back towards her companion. Instead, she just shrugged off his arm and grunted. "Let's just get the fuck out of here." She then walked down the platform, only to stop dead in her tracks when she heard a familiar noise. Oh for the love of the Divines. "Frostbite spiders."

Given how he already knew of her distaste for them, the Ranger took the lead. He and Karnwyr managed to dispatch of the giant spiders easily enough while Wyllin followed closely behind. Shortly after, they entered into a new area. A few Falmer and chaurus resided there, but were easily killed off. Then the group's attention was turned towards a large gate made of the Dwemers' signature metal.

She walked up and examined it. "Looks like the same one back by the lift outside. We're going to need to find a lever or something. Come on, there might be something up there on that platform." She pointed to the one above where they entered through. Luckily, she was right. Once the lever was pulled, the gate below opened, and they headed through it.

As they walked up a platform and towards another gate, the sound of steam had them stopping in their tracks. The source was a large Dwemer construct that was springing to life. It stepped away from the arch it'd been standing under and looked around. By that point, the group had retreated behind a wall.

"How the fuck are we going to deal with this thing?" Bishop asked.

"I don't know. Give me a moment." She eyed it from where they were hiding. Arrows were definitely  _not_  going to be of any use, and she wouldn't be getting anywhere near it while it was still able to attack her. "I can try using my lightning spells on it. Sure, these things run on that, but maybe I could overcharge it long enough for us to find a weak point."

"Are you sure you want to do that? It seemed like it took a lot of concentration the last time you used it, and you weren't under the pressure of an enemy then."

"Well, do you have another plan, smartass?"

He grunted. "Fine, go on then."

She nodded and then snuck off, keeping herself as low to the floor and undetectable as possible. Luckily, the centurion was turned away from them at that point. She took the time to charge up her lightning spell. Her fingers tensed at the feeling of electricity nipping at them, clearly unused to the small jolts of pain. Still, she concentrated, waited for the right time, and then unleashed a large bolt upon the automaton. The zap caught it off guard, but didn't do much else. Its torso turned around and it immediately caught sight of the Bosmer who struck it. She was quick to move as the centurion came after her.

Bishop swore under his breath as he readied an arrow, though he was unable to get a clear shot. Finally, he ordered Karnwyr to stay hidden and then headed out. Just as he did, the machine managed to knock Wyllin off her feet and onto the floor. It walked up to her and struck again. She rolled out of the way, but not without it catching her arm. There was a hiss of pain as she clutched where she'd been cut. Her eyes widened as it moved its arm for another hit, but that hit never came. Instead, it found an arrow stuck in its midsection, which had it briefly stunned. The Bosmer took this time to scramble to safety.

"That's its weak point!" She called out. "Keep it distracted, Bishop!"

He nodded and then waved a hand in the air. "Come at me ya heap of scrap metal!" The centurion turned to face him, and then charged. Bishop stayed in place for a few seconds, but then leapt out of the way. The automaton skidded to a halt and turned back to him.

As he kept the enemy distracted, Wyllin quickly scanned the room. On the floor a few yards away was a fallen centurion. She formulated a plan as her partner had their enemy charge at him for a second time. Then she moved over to the fallen machine and took aim at the one they were trying to take down. It had its back turned towards her. She managed to strike its core again with her arrow.

It stopped everything it was doing and turned to face the elf. She readied herself as it started to charge her way. She waited until the last possible second, and then ducked away from the centurion. The next thing it knew, it'd collided with the heap of scrap behind her and planted itself into the ground. The hissing of steam and turning of gears told the two that it was still active, however.

Both daggers were out as Wyllin charged at the thing. She sunk into the centurion's weak point. The handles of her blades blocked the electrical currents that tried to run through them. The machine below her started to malfunction and jolt about. Before the Bosmer on top of it could get to safety, she found herself launched to the side by a wayward thrust of the machine's arm. Her back slammed against a wall and her world went black. The next thing she knew, a wolf was licking her face to wake her up as his brother commanded him to do. She bolted upright and made eye contact with the man sitting beside her.

"Easy now," Bishop said. "Don't get up too fast. You took a big hit back there."

As he said that, she immediately felt the sting across her body, primarily the back of her head. A hand reached up to it and she hissed. "Fuck." What was the incantation to her healing spell? Everything was too damn blurry, mentally and visibly. "H-how long was I out?"

"A few minutes. Long enough for me to make sure that machine was finished off. Your blades don't look too damaged from your attack, at least." He motioned towards the daggers, which were laying next to her. "Can't say the same for you though." He looked her over. "Is anything broken?"

"Feels like the damned thing messed me up pretty bad, but I think I got off easy." She winced as she adjusted herself. "Gods, I hate these automatons. Just... Give me a few minutes. I need to remember my spell."

He rolled his eyes and retrieved a healing potion from her bag. "Here, maybe this would be faster."

She looked at it and blinked a few times, before laughing sheepishly. "Oh, right. Those exist. Thanks." She uncorked the bottle and downed it, slightly disgusted by the taste. Still, the effects soon kicked in and everything began to look and feel less muddled. Bishop helped her stand back up once she was ready to get back on her feet. "Come on, we still have to get through Blackreach."

"Don't you think we should-"

"Ah! Quiet, you! I'll be fine."

"Alright. Let's go then." He sighed and walked over to the next gate with her. It was left slightly ajar. When he pushed it open, they found that they weren't completely alone. "More corpses, great."

Wyllin closely examined the bodies of the two by the entrance to Blackreach. They were definitely from the ill-fated group she'd been following the adventure of. "These must've been the ones who downed the other machine out there. Probably weren't as lucky with the other one."

"I don't even want to think about what would've happened if we had to go up against two of them at once." He frowned at the thought.

"Well, it didn't happen, thank the Gods. Come on, we have an underground cavern to explore." She walked over to what she could only presume would be the entrance. It was an odd Dwemer mechanism that came up to just below her waist. She placed her hands upon it and curiously looked the contraption over. Towards the center, she found what looked to be a pedestal for a small sphere. Suddenly, she remembered something. One of the objects Septimus gave her looked like it'd fit perfectly in that slot. She quickly fished it from her bag and placed it on the pedestal.

When it began to open up, they both took a step back. Parts of the contraption began to spin about, eventually locking into place elsewhere. Then stairs started appearing around it, leading down into what was presumably the entrance. After everything had settled down, the Bosmer retrieved the sphere and descended the steps, Bishop and Karnwyr following behind her. None of them really knew what to expect from Blackreach. More dusty ruins and Dwemer machinery maybe? Regardless, they were surprised by what they actually saw once they entered.

Wyllin's jaw dropped as she looked around. "By the Divines! I never thought I'd see something like this. Underneath Skyrim as well?" She stepped further away from the door they'd entered through.

From behind her, her companion spoke up. "We shouldn't take too long here, ladyship. If this place once housed dwarves, you can bet your ass there's going to be Falmer and animaculi roaming around."

She looked back to him and pouted. "Don't be such a killjoy, Bishop."

"I'm just being realistic."

His response had her groaning. "Well, I got my ass handed to me by a giant hunk of metal. I think I deserve a bit of time to rest before whatever's going to happen at the Throat of the World." That rest was most certainly going to come in the form of exploring this place, whether he liked it or not. She kept moving, following the path further down. Her eyes were anywhere but in front of her, which meant she hadn't noticed a dwarven sphere springing to life once she got too close to it.

"Wyllin!" Bishop barked, quickly taking aim at the machine. An arrow managed to puncture it before it was able to attack her. Karnwyr leapt into action soon after, bolting to Wyllin's side before pouncing onto the machine and tackling it to the ground.

One of the elf's daggers cut through a vital part of the sphere that she'd found out about from the ones back in Alftand. After it sparked a few times, it went still. There was a sigh of relief before her attention turned to the area the sphere had apparently been guarding. "Hey, there's a shack over here."

He didn't even have time to argue with her before she dashed over to it and opened the door. He swore under his breath and followed her inside. A familiar sound filled the small room when they entered. Off to the side was a potted nirnroot, though this one was off...

"It's red," Wyllin commented.

"Oh, really now? I thought it was purple!"

"Har-dee-har, Ranger." She rolled her eyes and then walked over to the mysterious plant. The sound from it wasn't any less annoying than the ones above ground. She wasted little time in pulling the nirnroot from the soil. The glow and chiming noise both died out quickly after. She then examined the curious little root, wondering how it managed to achieve its odd coloration.

"Looks like someone was here before us." The Nord's voice had her turning towards him. He was looking at the ground, where a skeleton was strewn about. It was clear that this one was there long before the others back in Alftand.

She walked over towards the pile of bones. By its side was a leatherbound journal. She picked it up and looked through its pages. "Looks like it was made by someone named Sinderion. Sounds like an Altmer name." It was easy to assume these were his remains then. "He apparently studied nirnroot. I wonder how deaf someone has to be to do that." Her comment managed to bring a chuckle from Bishop. After getting about halfway through, she closed the journal. "This could be interesting to look into..."

"You want to spend time looking into a bunch of noisy red roots? You must've hit your head harder on that wall than I thought."

"Oh, shut it, Ranger. I said it could be interesting. I'm not about ready to sit here and dedicate the rest of my days to research on one of Tamriel's craziest alchemy ingredients just yet." She placed the nirnroot inside of the journal and closed it. Then it was dropped inside of her bag. "Let's go."

"How much do you even know about alchemy?" He asked as they headed out of the shack and further into Blackreach.

"You saw me mix potions before. I'm no expert, but I know enough to get by. Like my healing potions, for example."

"Yeah, those. Gods, could you at least make them not taste like shit?"

"Hey!" She snapped. "They're supposed to help heal you, not taste like bottled up rainbows."

"I'm just saying it'd be nice to not gag when I have to drink one."

"And I'd like to not gag every time I look at you! Can't have everything we want, Ranger." His glare had her grinning toothily.

"You certainly weren't gagging back at the inn."

"Bishop!"

"Or when we were by that stream..."

"I'm going to hit you!"

"I'd like to see you try!"

She did, and not lightly. The sting had him reeling back for a couple of seconds. Then he recovered and grabbed her by her wrist, pulling her close against him. There it was. That little spark of fire often seen in her eyes burst into flames. The smirk that curled onto his face confused her, but she quickly discovered why it was there when he kissed her. The moment her wrist was released from his grasp, her arms immediately wrapped around him. Stupid fucking Ranger. He pissed her off to no end over the dumbest things. Worse yet,  _she enjoyed it._

She growled at the smug look on his face when they parted, though the blush she was wearing betrayed her apparent anger. "Let's keep going. We have a Scroll to find." Afterwards, she pushed away from him, turned around, and continued walking.

From Bishop's side, Karnwyr made a noise, prompting him to look over at the wolf. "What's wrong, you dumb mutt? Oh come on, you can't say that's not the  _least_  bit entertaining."

"Stop talking to your damn wolf and keep moving!" Wyllin shouted towards them as the distance between her and them increased. The two quickly moved to catch up with her after.

To no one's surprise, Falmer had overrun the place. They weren't too keen on the bickering intruders either. The argument had caught the attention of a few of them. Well, a bit of target practice never hurt anyone. The chaurus were more annoying. It was difficult to aim when having to dodge their poison attacks. Eventually, the two settled on Bishop distracting them with arrows while Wyllin darted up behind and dug a dagger into a weak spot between the chitin. The plan wasn't always perfect, but it worked well enough. The Bosmer only had to heal up cuts and poison injures on the Nord and herself a few times. Given how few and far between the giant bugs were, it wasn't too taxing on her magicka reserves.

After a while, the three began to grow tired. It was hard to tell just how long it'd been since they last slept. Eventually, they agreed to set up camp in an area with a decent height advantage and take shifts looking out for any Falmer or animaculi. Once they found a place to rest in, they decided to scout out the area and make sure nothing was around. At some point on the way back, Wyllin had taken an interest in the lakes of glowing water they'd been passing by.

"Ladyship, what are you doing now?" Bishop asked as she curiously eyed the water.

"I've just been thinking about this the whole time we were here. It's glowing."

"Yes, and there's dozens upon dozens of giant glowing mushrooms too. Oh, and also those glowing rocks? What's your point?"

"I'm just curious about this place. I've never seen anything like it before. Most of the beauties of my homeland don't even compare..." She knelt down before a small pond of the water. "Excuse me for taking an interest in something that isn't mead or tavern wenches." Her eyes rolled and she went back to examining it.

"Okay, for the record, only  _one_ of those things interest me." His defensive remark had her chuckling softly under her breath. "Secondly, you've been 'taking an interest' in everything here. If you keep this up, we're not gonna be leaving this place until after the dragons take over Skyrim." He sighed and watched as she ran her fingers over the surface of the water. "I'd advise against getting too close to that shit. Gods only know what would happen if you fell in."

She groaned. "Excuse me, Bishop, but I can take care of myself." She stood up and looked back at him. "See? Perfectly fine!" That was until she was about to turn and walk away from the pond. Apparently, the ground below had been a bit more slippery than she thought it'd be. One poorly placed step had her landing ass-first into the pond. When she recovered from the shock, she found Bishop laughing hysterically in front of her. "Oh, really  _fucking_ funny!" He only continued laughing. She scowled and moved to grab at the leg of his pants. Before he had time to stop it, she'd tugged him down into the water as well, though he was unlucky enough to land on his face.

He came back to the surface and glared at her. She was the one laughing uncontrollably that time. "Oh yeah. I could've drowned. How hilarious!" He splashed at her. She spat out the water that got in her mouth and then tackled him. He landed on his back in a shallow part of the pond and looked up at the grinning elf pinning him down. "Well now, this is a position I'm enjoying. Would be better if I was the one on top though."

"Good luck ever seeing that." She crawled off of him and managed to get to her feet. "Ugh. Now I have to dry off. I think it's even gotten under my armor."

"All the more reason to take it off."

"Would you start thinking with the head that's  _not_ in your pants for once?"

"Okay, fine." He made a mock serious face as he scanned her over. "You know, I think you're glowing slightly."

"Gods be damned, Bishop! Let's just go set up camp." The drenched elf then trudged off, with the amused Ranger following behind. They'd settled on a small tower of sorts a few Falmer had previously been residing in. Their bodies were now resting comfortably on the ground below. The only way up was a small, winding ramp that ran along its side, and they were high up enough to see if anything was getting too close for comfort. Once she was there, she sat down to take inventory, grumbling about the fact she'd fallen in with her backpack on. Luckily, nothing really appeared to be damaged. Still, she decided to empty the contents of the bag and leave it to dry overnight.

Bishop watched as he stripped out of his soaked armor and sat down. He'd forgotten about the enchantment on her pack for a moment and had almost become concerned by the amount of things she pulled from it. "So you got that bag from taking down a bunch of vampires?"

"Yep," She responded. "Hate those things. You can contract their disease by the simplest of scratches. Even Bosmeri resistances have a hard time dealing with it." Hell, ever her lycanthropy couldn't stop her from contracting it. Maybe that had something to do with the fact both were made by Daedric Princes. She didn't really know or care. "The coven itself was interesting though. Had some history to it. You ever read that book 'Immortal Blood'?"

"Nope."

"It's about a Breton vampire hunter from Cyrodiil who was turned into a vampire himself by an infected priest he thought he was aiding. That vampire, Movarth, was the master of that coven."

"So one legend takes down another?" He chuckled.

"Butchered him and all of his followers. He was the one who nearly infected me though. I still have the scar."

He raised an eyebrow. "The one I saw at the inn?"

"Yep, that'd be the one. Couldn't heal it all the way due to the infection. Hurt like a son of a bitch when I first got it, but now it's just a memory." She looked back towards him. "You ever face off against those fanged bastards?"

"Nope. Don't intend on it either. There's only one person in this world that I'd like to have trying to bite down on my neck, princess." He smirked at her.

"Hmm. I'll do more than just bite at you."

"I'm listening."

"Maybe I'll actually show you instead... Another time." Her words had him groaning, which brought an amused look to her face. She took a break from reordering her bag and turned to face Bishop completely. She looked towards her hand and noticed the ring he'd given her back at the inn. "Hey, would you mind me asking you something about this? I've been thinking about it for a while now."

He frowned at the sudden direction their conversation went. "What did you want to know?"

"You said it belonged to someone close to you? Who was that?"

That must've hit a sore spot, given how Bishop looked away from her. "It belonged to my brother, the one I came to Skyrim with. Shit happened. That brother is gone. End of story."

His brother? Her thoughts turned to when that day at the stream. "When I spoke about my sister, you mentioned how you had a sibling that betrayed you as well. This was his?"

"Isn't there something else you'd like to ask about instead?"

"I've told you things about my past. Why can't you do the same? If I'm walking around with some dead guy's ring on my finger, then I'd like to know the story!"

"For the love of..." He groaned. "Alright, fine. His name is... Was Jules. Out of a family of thieves, murderers, and whores, he was the one I was closest to. I ran away with him when I was seventeen. Things were okay for a while, but..."

"Then they weren't. He betrayed you."

"Yes, and the entire group we ran with. I paid him back in kind, before I figured out the reason why." His hands balled themselves into fists. "If I'd known it was for his family..."

Wyllin fell silent for a moment. The way he sounded when he said that... She moved to sit down on her knees by his side. "You can stop. I'm sorry for pushing this."

"No, it's fine. I guess you did deserve to know about him."

"Well, now I do." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked his cheek. "None of that matters anyway, right? You're still my big, strong Ranger."

He chuckled weakly. "Big and strong maybe, but I don't belong to anyone, princess."

"Oh, please. You're totally my bitch."

"Very cute, but I think you'll find it's the other way around here." He shifted a bit awkwardly. "By the way, you're still soaking wet from your impromptu bath earlier."

His words had her suddenly realizing that she was still in her armor. "Shit, right. I should probably fix this... Thank the Gods my nightwear didn't get too wet."

The Ranger sat back with an amused look as she rushed over to her bag. "I can help you out of that, you know."

"I'm sure you could, but maybe that should be saved for when we're not in some crazy, Falmer-infested, underground cavern? Just a thought"

"Fair point. Go ahead, then."

She picked up the slightly dampened night clothes and went to find somewhere to change into them. Maybe it was dangerous to be out of armor in Blackreach, but she needed to let it dry. Once she'd redressed, she made her way back over to her belongings. Her armor was splayed out to dry quicker. Bishop silently observed her from where he was sitting as she returned back to what she'd been doing previously. Now that everything had been removed and examined, she got to work on reordering it.

Two packages of dried rations had been left out. The bag was closed and placed off to the side, and then she got up and headed back over to him. They quietly ate and enjoyed the peacefulness of Blackreach. It was extremely dangerous, but it definitely felt worlds apart from the unrelenting harshness of the war torn province above. Karnwyr had joined the two at some point, and Wyllin tossed a few pieces of jerky to him. The two took amusement in how the wolf caught each piece in mid air, devoured it, and then looked to the elf for more.

After a while of just sitting there, Bishop finally spoke again. "Hey, Wyllin?"

"Hmm?" She looked over at him, chewing on a piece of dried fruit.

"Thanks for letting me get that out."

She swallowed and then gave a soft laugh. "Well, I guess I didn't give you much of a choice."

He shook his head. "Oh, believe me, if I didn't feel comfortable saying that kind of shit around you, I wouldn't have. You make talking... Easy. That's dangerous."

Those last words had her smirking at him. "I'm a dangerous lady, but I suppose that's what has you so hooked on me." She grinned.

"Hooked? I wouldn't say that. Interested or curious would probably be better words to describe it."

"Mhm, whatever helps you sleep better. Speaking of which..." She yawned and stretched. "Mind taking the first shift?"

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead and get some rest."

"Thank you. Wake me up in a few hours and I'll take over." She sat down her ration packet and moved to find a place to lay down. Karnwyr decided to go lay down by her, which eventually turned into into her using him as a pillow. Not long after that, she was out, quietly snoozing away with her face half buried in the wolf's fur.

When her time to keep watch came, it didn't take much convincing for her to get up. She mumbled and stirred a few times, before eventually opening her eyes and groggily looking at the tired Nord who woke her. He'd fallen asleep pretty much right after she'd gotten up. She just smirked and then went to change back into her now dried out armor. Then she found a decent enough spot that overlooked their surroundings and pulled out her carving tools out of her bag. There was no better way to pass the time.


	15. A City of Slaves

Bishop woke up to the sound of Wyllin's knife chipping against bone. He looked over to see her working on a new batch of arrows. Several finished ones sat by her side, while a new arrowhead was slowly being formed in her palm. She seemed at peace for once, and always did when she was carving. Karnwyr had taken to laying beside her, head resting on his paws and tail swishing by his hind leg. When he finally opened up his eyes, he immediately noticed his brother had woken up. He then got to his feet and bounded towards the Nord.

She looked over to the two when she heard Bishop cursing as Karnwyr slobbered all over his face. As she watched the scene, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Finally wake up, sleepyhead?"

He grumbled and managed to shove the wolf away and sit up properly. "How long was I out?"

"Fuck if I know. Hours. There's no actual way to tell time in this place." She went back to her arrow as he stood up and got dressed. "So, how did you sleep? You were pretty keen on getting some shuteye."

"Like a damn baby," He responded as he fiddled with the straps on his chest. "Have you been just carving at bones this entire time? How many do you even carry?"

"Harvested some from one of the Falmer down there." She could almost feel his mildly disturbed look burning into her shoulder. "Hey, the bastard won't be missing 'em! At least he was  _dead_ when I cut him open." Yep, she was still pretty disgusted by what she'd seen in Alftand. Her knife was set down. She examined the arrowhead carefully, and then reached for a shaft. "Don't worry, I cleaned up after myself. You won't be running into any gory surprises when we finally head back out."

"You're pretty casual about this..."

She shrugged. "Cultural quirk, maybe. Well, anyway, we better eat and head out soon. By the way, I made you something."

"From the Falmer bones?"

"No, they weren't tough enough for this. Actually, I made it from a piece of dragonbone I came across while digging through my bag earlier." She motioned for him to walk over to her. As he did, she picked up a flat rectangular object and held it up to him.

He took it from her and examined it. It fit within the palm of his hand. The edges were rough due to the natural formation of dragonbone, but the surface was smooth. On one side, it held a carving of a howling wolf's head. On the other, it was a simpler carving of an arrow drawn back in a bow. "So I get rid of one trinket and then get handed another."

"Just accept it. Also, it's not a trinket, it's a  _token._ Maybe it'll bring you luck."

Her defensive remark had him smirking to himself. "Don't worry. I like it." He placed it inside of the pouch at his side. Then he looked back at Wyllin, who'd been cleaning up her supplies. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. We should get ready to go." She dropped her tools back in her bag as Bishop sat down beside her. The two ate as they decided on where to go next. Blackreach was sprawling and confusing. How were they ever going to find Mzark in there? Before they'd found a place to make camp, they took note of a large underground city not too far from where they'd settled at. Wyllin could see the large, glowing orb off in the distance from where she was sat. It was decided that they'd go there.

The trip there didn't take long. Several inactive dwarven centurions dotted the pathway, and were given a wide berth by the group. Falmer and chaurus reared their ugly heads, but were taken down without much of an issue. It wasn't until they actually reached the city were they greeted by something truly surprising.

"Those aren't Falmer," The Bosmer mumbled as she watched the city's inhabitants wander around. No, where were so many races before them. They all had a strange look in their eyes, like they were drugged. "Bretons, Nords, Dunmer, Khajiits... What are they doing down here? Why do their eyes look so... Weird?"

"I don't know, but I don't think we should stick around to find out, princess. I see a few of those blind bastards roaming around with them."

"This is our best bet to figuring out where Mzark is. We should at least search around a little first."

"Ladyship, listen to me. This is insane. You can't expect the three of us to take all of them on at once, right?"

She frowned at the thought. "No, but there must be another way around." She scanned the area for a safer route to take with them. Then she noticed one that didn't look guarded. "Come on, this way." She beckoned him to follow her, and he reluctantly did so with Karnwyr keeping close behind them.

It was impossible to tell how many there really were. Wyllin knew better than to call upon her Thu'um to find out. Their daze at least left them mostly oblivious to the presence of the intruders, and she hoped things would remain that way until they gathered the information they wanted and got out. Ducking behind buildings and into more secluded parts helped greatly. There weren't any real dead ends within the city. They eventually came to an impressive set of doors. A brief glance was made between Wyllin and Bishop, before the former went through them and the latter followed suit.

Inside was yet another small group of these servants. They all sat around a large table, mostly just staring off into space. No Falmer were in sight. A large gate stood at the far end of the room,  past the table the servants sat at. Chances were the inhabitants would attack if they caught sight of the three. There was no discernible way to sneak around them either, so Wyllin settled on taking aim at the group and Bishop followed. Arrows were quickly fired into each of the four there before they could even realize what was going on. If they weren't killed by her attacks, his soon finished them off. Once they were down, she made her way over to the gate and attempted to open it.

"Locked," She hissed. "I don't see any sort of way to pick it open ether. There has to be a lever around here somewhere." Her eyes scanned the room. There was a ramp leading up to a platform near the entrance. Maybe it was over there? She headed towards it and walked up, but something caught her attention when she was near the landing. Footsteps? Were there more of these brainwashed bastards? Muttering could be heard from behind a door, and it had the Bosmer drawing her blades.

Then the door opened, revealing three more servants. Their bloodshot eyes all trained on Wyllin, and they immediately drew their weapons. One attacked, which had her quickly leaping to the side. Bishop's line of fire was cleared by that, and an arrow landed in the attacker's shoulder, making them all aware of his presence as well. The two others split off to go after him, while the injured one kept his focus on the elf. She struck at him a few times. The first few were blocked, but a hit eventually landed on the attacker's hand, causing him to drop his weapon. A low sweep of her leg then had him on the ground. As she finished the guy off with a dagger to his neck, Bishop was hard at work with the other two, bow now replaced with his blade.

Karnwyr had gone after one of them to even the odds. Bishop focused his attacks on the other. The wolf struggled with the servant managing to block his lunges and claws with his shield, but Wyllin quickly stepped in to offer aid. An arrow landed square into the servant's shoulder, and then another one soon hit his arm. The shield he was holding clattered to the floor, and Karnwyr was finally able to leap on him. As he did so, the Ranger finished off his enemy and then turned to Wyllin.

"Is that all of them?"

"I think so." She looked around. Her ears picked up on something from off to the side of her.

"Help," A female voice weakly called out. That immediately had the Bosmer darting over. From in a barred off room, she could see three Nords. One was the woman who called out. She clutched onto a terrified child, who looked no older than six or seven. Then there was a male laying on the ground nearby them, barely conscious, if that. The terrified mother looked towards the stranger from beyond the bars and immediately held her child closer to her.

"No. It's fine. I'm not one of their slaves. Hang on, I'm going to get you out of there."

Her words soothed the weeping Nord slightly. Her voice was weak and she looked like she hadn't slept in days. "Please, hurry. My husband doesn't have much time left."

Wyllin immediately went for her lockpicks and got to work on the door. As she did, Bishop and Karnwyr rushed over to her. After bending one to the point of usability due to her frustration, she finally managed to pick the lock and push the gate open. Once she did, she bolted towards the three. Her waterskin was handed off to the woman. "I can heal your husband. Please, tell me what happened." She then readied her spell and tended to the wounds on the male's exposed chest as his wife recounted what she could of her tale.

The woman took a drink and cleared her throat. Then she handed the waterskin off to her child. "We were on our way to Dawnstar when a blizzard set in. There was nowhere for us to go. My husband, Hakir, knows the basics of camping and survival. We found a cave and managed to get a fire going so we could wait out the storm. Night slowly began to fall and we were losing hope. Then these... Figures appeared in the snow. At first, we thought they were other travelers, or maybe hunters." She paused for a moment. "Then they got closer, and we realized how deformed they were. Hunched over with pale skin and no eyes. Dressed in strange bug shell armor... We couldn't run. There was nowhere to go. We thought they were going to kill us, but they simply knocked us unconscious and dragged us... Here. Where are we?"

"You're in an underground Dwemer city in a place known as Blackreach," The elf informed her. "My friend and I have been searching for something here when we came across this place. That's not important right now though. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

She nodded. "When we woke up, we were in this room. There was some... Half-crazed Breton chained up on the other side of the room, but some of those hazy-eyed servants of those monsters came in and grabbed him a little while before you got here. Those... Things were trying to feed us something. I don't know what, but it glowed and smelled revolting. The last time one was here, Hakir tried to fight it off so we could escape. It didn't turn out well for him."

"There isn't much of a means to escape anyway," Wyllin said. "The outside part of this city is swarming with Falmer and their servants."

"Falmer?"

"Those hunchbacked monsters."

"Oh."

"Anyway, Hakir's healed up as well as I can make him. It shouldn't be long before he comes to." She sat down cross-legged in front of the woman and her child. "What about you and your son?"

"We're fine. Whatever we dealt with is minor compared to what those things did to my Hakir. Thank you, kind soul." The mother then frowned. "But if what you say is true about outside, then how are we going to get out of here?"

"We'll find a way, don't worry. I'm going to make sure you and your family are safe. Can I get your names?"

"I'm Freyy, and this little man here is Tolvir." The child simply stared at the elf. "Forgive him, he's scared out of his wits."

"No problem. I'm Wyllin, and this is Bishop." She gestured towards the Ranger behind her. "Oh, and the wolf over there is Karnwyr." When he heard his name, he bounded over and licked the Bosmer who said it. She patted him on the head softly.

Freyy was about to speak again, but the sound of a gate being opened stopped her. "By the Eight. Is there more of them?"

"We'll take care of them. Please wait here." The Bosmer stood up again and grabbed her bow. She then dashed out of the room with Bishop and Karnwyr following behind her. She counted the enemies there as she pulled an arrow from her quiver and notched it. Four. Three servants and one Falmer. Her first strike was to the servant in front of the group. It struck him between the eyes. He was dead before he hit the ground. Her shot had alerted the other two, however, and they were quick to warn their blind master.

Bishop was taking shots at the Falmer. One stuck into its leg and had it on its knees. It proceeded to use the shield it was carrying to block off any further attacks. The two remaining servants charged at the group. One had an axe and shield, and the other had a club. The one with the club was accosted by Karnwyr. The other was handled by Wyllin. Bishop had found an exposed spot on the shielded Falmer and struck it down. The deaths of the other two came quickly after.

The elf lowered her bow and sighed. "By the Divines. I hope that's all of them."

"Yeah. Alright, well, we'd better get back to that family then."

"Wow, you actually want to help someone out for once?"

"No, but you seem adamant on doing it, so I'm stuck with having to deal with them as well." He furrowed his brow at the odd smile she gave him. "What?"

"I think my ways are growing on you, Ranger."

"You wish. Come on, we have some Nords to save or whatever." He turned and walked back towards the room. When the three entered again, Hakir was back on his feet. He was still dazed, but very much alive.

The wife looked towards the three and then rushed over to them. "Thank you so much! You're a true hero, miss!" She handed the nearly emptied waterskin to the elf. "I didn't think we were ever going to make it out of here."

Wyllin took the waterskin and smiled. "Helping people is what I do, ma'am. Come on, there has to be a way out of here." The group ventured out of the room. Eventually, they did manage to find a hatch that led to a sewer system below. They went one at a time: Hakir, Tolvir, Freyy, Wyllin, Karnwyr, and then Bishop.

They all walked in silence, trying to find a way out of the sewers that was far enough from the city. The only noises to be heard outside of their echoing footsteps were the dripping of water as it leaked into the sewers and the distant sounds of Dwemer machinery. The system sprawled out throughout the underground city, with several twists and turns along the way. Exits were apparently hard to come by, however. Most of them had been blocked off due to collapses.

They were walking for a good half hour before something was heard towards the end of the tunnel. Then Wyllin spotted something disturbingly familiar. A spider's egg sac? She quickly backed up and drew her bow. Bishop gave her a confused look, but then noticed what had her so jumpy. He readied himself and took the lead.

"Stay back here. We need to take care of a few spiders." Freyy and Hakir nodded at the Bosmer's words. She then turned and followed her companion down the tunnel.

Several spiders infested an opening. They immediately caught sight of the group, and then charged at them. Wyllin quickly withdrew back into the tunnel with a hand readying a spell, while Bishop took aim and fired at the charging arachnids. Karnwyr danced around with a smaller one, snarling and biting at the beast as he went. 

One spider was infected with Wyllin's poison spell, while another got past Bishop and neared her. She drew back further and aimed her bow. Then the spider pounced, knocking her to the ground and landing on top of her. She let out a gut-wrenching scream as she struggled to get free. Her companion quickly dashed over and dug his blade deep into the arachnid's back, causing it to let out a distressed noise and scuttle off of its victim. Wyllin quickly scooted away and held out her dagger towards the fiend, but Bishop had all but taken care of it by that point. He then helped the shaken elf back up once the ordeal was over.

"Gods, you really don't like these things, do you?" He asked as he steadied her onto her feet.

She replied by shaking her head as she stared daggers at the now dead spider. "I had a bad encounter with them back when I was helping the Companions. It's not fun hanging upside down, wrapped up in spider silk, and waiting for your allies to finish off those damn demons before they can cut you down. I nearly lost consciousness."

"Understandable." Why did he find the thought of her angrily swaying from the ceiling covered in spider webs so amusing? It almost felt cruel to think that way. "Anyway, I think I see an exit over there. Hopefully it leads out of the city." He pointed over to a small hole that led to a grate. Water leaked out of it, and the faint glow of Blackreach could be seen just beyond. Wyllin had rushed back to get the others, and then allowed Bishop to lead them all out into the open. The two quickly looked around for enemies before allowing the family to step out.

"So we really are underground," Freyy murmured as she checked out their surroundings. "This place would almost be beautiful if..."

"It weren't infested with crazed Falmer?" Wyllin finished. The two women looked at each other and shared an awkward laugh.

"Yes. Exactly. So, do you know of a way out of here?"

"Like I said, Bishop and I are looking for something here. Chances are an exit won't be too far away from it though. Come on."

They pressed on, eventually coming across a lookout tower. A couple of Falmer were there, but were quickly taken out before Bishop and Wyllin took the ramp up to the top. Off in the distance, something caught the elf's eyes. A large structure stood atop a cliff, which was surrounded by a river of glowing water. She pointed it out to Bishop.

He observed the structure, and then nodded. "Looks like it can lead to the surface too. Worth checking out."

They headed back down and rejoined the family. A few more Falmer and their pet chaurus tried to cause them issues, but were taken down without too much of a problem outside of Bishop nearly getting splashed with chaurus venom a few times. It wasn't long before they made their way to what was undoubtedly the Tower of Mzark.

After heading inside, Wyllin observed the area. "Looks like someone's been here somewhat recently." She turned her head to the Nord family behind her. "Those Falmer took all of your belongings, didn't they? See if you can find anything here that might be able to help you out. I've got to search for something specific."

Freyy nodded. "Alright, Wyllin."

She turned to face forward again and continued on as the family looked around with Bishop. That's when they came across a skeleton nearby a ramp that led to the dwarven oculory above. Great,  _another_ dead person. To its side was a journal. Wyllin picked it up and examined the contents. She quietly repeated a phrase that'd been quoted by the author. "'The light through the knowledge through the machine rests on the cube.' The Khajiit who sent this guy here seems to think that line's important."

Her words prompted a confused expression from Bishop. "Sounds like a bunch of rambly garbage."

"Most of what  _anyone_ says regarding these damned Scrolls is rambly garbage."

He shrugged. "You're not wrong."

She chuckled and then leafed through the pages a little more. "I think I understand some of what he's saying here. Use that lexicon Septimus gave us. Press some buttons. Line up lenses in the oculory until everything lights up. I assume we can get to the Elder Scroll after." She shut the journal and placed it back down. "The writer said there's wolves outside, but they're probably long gone by now. I suppose I can figure things out with this. Let's get the Scroll and then get out of this place." She then turned and made her way up to the next level.

Several stands with buttons were on a platform that overlooked the oculory. Her bag was sat down on the floor, and the lexicon was removed from it. Off to the sides of the buttons was something that looked like it could hold the cube. Once it was placed there, two buttons lit up. She pressed them a few times, and eventually got a few of the lenses to match up. Then another button became available, which moved around lenses on the ceiling. A few more presses and they lined up as well. Once that was done, the final of the four buttons lit up, and she pushed it. Off to the side, the lexicon had lit up and began changing around as she messed with the oculory. It'd started to glow, then opened up, then the round core within it began to spin. When she pressed the final button, it closed back up, but retained its red glow. After that, the lenses moved out of the way and something descended from the ceiling. The Bosmer quickly grabbed the newly inscribed lexicon and her bag, and then made her way over as a large case opened up. Inside was what she'd been seeking.

"This is the Elder Scroll?" She muttered as she looked over the contents of the container. "By the Divines..." She reached in and picked up the Scroll. Its unnatural magics were practically tangible in her hands. "It's... Lighter than I expected."

"Well, it  _is_ magical," Bishop remarked. "I'm guessing it'll at least fit inside that bag of yours?"

"It should." As she was reordering her bag to fit the Elder Scroll and lexicon into it, the family came up to meet them.

Hakir had changed into a set of clothes that hadn't been ripped to shreds. Freyy sported a backpack on her shoulders with the supplies the three could find. Tolvir had a cloak wrapped around him to protect him from the cold. The child had recovered mostly from the shock he'd gone through and was beaming at the Bosmer.

He walked up to her. "Thank you so much for saving me and my family, miss!"

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "No problem, kid. One day, you'll have to grow up big and strong to protect ma and pa back there. Do that for me, won't ya?"

"I will!"

"That's the spirit, little warrior." She then pulled her bag back over her shoulders. "Well, we found what we were looking for. It's time to get back out into the cold I guess. You were heading to Dawnstar, right?"

"Yes," Freyy replied. "We're actually from Cyrodiil, but were coming to visit some of Hakir's relatives. Gods, I wonder how long we've been down here. They must be worried sick."

"Bishop and I can help escort you to Dawnstar."

"But you've done so much for us already," Hakir told her as he furrowed his brow.

"The way is dangerous and we have time." She waved for them to follow her towards a tunnel that led to a lift. "Come on. I promise it won't be too much of a burden."

"You and your insistent need to help people, ladyship," Bishop grumbled as he crossed his arms.

"Quiet, Ranger."

The group headed out of the tower and into the blistering cold. While there definitely wasn't a blizzard going on, it was still snowing pretty badly. Wyllin kept her nose stuck in her map for the most part, and Bishop occasionally needed to pull her off to the side so she didn't run into something. They bickered a few times about it, but she ultimately went back to what she was doing right after and the process would be repeated. The family they'd saved walked behind them. Occasionally, Hakir and Freyy would smile at one another whenever the two got into one of their petty squabbles, though neither of them would see it. When they reached Dawnstar, the relatives Freyy mentioned were standing just outside of the city. Tolvir and his father immediately ran to them, while the mother stayed behind.

"Looks like we're here," Wyllin said as she watched them. Her eyes then turned to Freyy.

"We owe you a debt I don't know if we could ever repay. You saved our lives, most importantly the life of our dear Tolvir. I can never thank you enough." She grabbed the elf's hand and held it between both of her own. "If you're ever in Cyrodiil and stop by Skingrad, please feel free to look us up. You'll always be welcomed at our door."

"That's kind of you. I'm just glad we were able to get you out of there before anything serious happened." She looked off towards Bishop, who seemed lost in thought as he watched the family ahead of him. "We should be going though, before he groans himself to death because of my 'helpful nature'. We might be able to get to Nightgate Inn before the sun sets. I'd rather not be caught out in the nighttime weather of the Pale."

Freyy chuckled. "You two make a wonderful couple."

Her words had Wyllin blushing. "Couple? No! We're just traveling partners. He's helping me out with an important quest I'm on."

"Right. Sure." The woman shook her head and smiled. Then she released the Bosmer's hand. "Well, have a safe journey, miss Wyllin. I'm glad to have met you."

Wyllin watched as she walked off. Her mind was a bit too focused on the words Freyy had said. Couple? Could they ever even be that? Sure, they had interest in one another, but Bishop never seemed to be the romantic type. She hadn't noticed he'd walked up to her until his arm was around her shoulders.

"Well, princess. Where to next?" He then gave her a curious expression. "What's with that look on your face?"

"What?" She blinked a few times and then shook off the blush that'd crept onto her cheeks as she pondered that thought. "Nothing! I'm just cold is all."

"Really? I could definitely keep you warm tonight then."

"We'll have to see about that." She pushed his arm off of her shoulders and then turned around.

"Where to next, then?"

"I want to get to Nightgate before the sun's completely set. We can head off for the Rift again tomorrow."


	16. Dragonrend

They'd reached Nightgate Inn just a short time before sunset and rested there for the night. It was nice to finally sleep in a  _bed_ for once. The adventure back towards Ivarstead the next day was long. By the time they'd reached the border between Eastmarch and the Rift, the sun was already setting, and they decided to set up camp. Wyllin was in the mood for a meal that didn't consist of dried fruits and jerky, so she opted to go hunting. Bishop decided to tag along. As they were walking through the forest, they eventually came up on tracks of a deer. Wyllin looked towards her companion and gave him a devilish grin.

He looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I bet I can hunt this thing down before you can."

"Oh, really now? I'd like to see you try. In fact, how 'bout you and I make a friendly wager?"

His offer had her eyes light up. "Alright then. Loser pays for drinks and lodging the next time we're in town."

"No, no. I was thinking about something more than that." Her curious look had him walking over to her. A hand brushed against her cheek, and then cupped her chin. "If I win, you're submitting to me in every way I want tonight."

A scarlet blush filled her cheeks. Thoughts of just what he'd do to her invaded her mind, and she could feel her heartbeat starting to quicken. It took a few seconds for her to come back to reality, and then she grabbed his hand and moved it away. "Fine, but you'll be doing the same for me if I bag this sucker first."

He chuckled and crossed his arms. "Do you think you have a chance against me?"

"I'm a true Bosmer of Valenwood. Damn near every one of us is vigorously trained in the art of marksmanship the moment we can properly hold a bow. As skilled a Ranger as you might be, your abilities don't even hold a candle to mine."

"We'll just see about that, 'true Bosmer of Valenwood'."

With that, the two parted ways in order to pursue their quarry by themselves. Karnwyr had been sent back to the camp so he wouldn't aid Bishop, and Wyllin promised to not use her Thu'um to locate the creature. Not that she'd really need it for this hunt anyway.

The problem the Bosmer faced as she stalked her quarry was the fact her mind wasn't in the right place. His words had left her thoughts racing, and she mentally cursed his name for that. There wasn't a chance in Oblivion that she was going to him one up her, however. She had too much pride for that, so she forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

Then she saw the stag she'd been chasing after, standing obliviously in a small clearing, waning sunlight shining on its furry hide. Immediately, the elf took aim at it. Her mind was still too far gone, however, and she just barely missed her mark. The deer bolted off again, causing her to release a string of not-so-pretty words. Damnit. She  _was_  going to get that thing.

Keen eyes kept to the trail of her prey as she stayed low to the forest floor. Another arrow was notched in her bow, ready to be shot at a moment's notice. At some point, it finally stopped running again, and she snuck up on it once more. She took aim and steadied her hand. Just before she was able to shoot, another arrow flew out from off to her side and struck the deer, downing it instantly.

Shit.

"And that is how it's done, ladyship," The familiar voice of a Ranger chuckled as he walked over to his prize. Well, the lesser one anyway. The one he was  _really_ after remained hidden within the trees, masked by the shadows that were starting to take over as the sun sunk further below the horizon. "You can come out now. I know you're watching."

The elf silently moved into his line of sight. Her arrow was placed back into her quiver. The look on her face was a mix of frustration and defeat.

"So much for the mighty archeress of Valenwood." He closed the small gap between them. "I hope you're prepared to hold up to your end of the bargain. I'm sick of this little game you've been playing with me." The look in his eyes had her face turning a deep shade of crimson. How could simple words get her so worked up?

She quickly stepped back and turned her attention to the animal... The  _other_ animal. "Let's get this thing back to camp." Her voice was as calm as she could make it, but he could tell he was getting to her. The thought of submitting to him? That both wounded her pride and turned her on at the same time. She just brushed those thoughts aside and made her way to the deer.

As they walked back, she shot down a couple of rabbits as well. They'd at least make a decent meal for Karnwyr, and one was tossed his way once they got back. She then got to work on skinning and butchering their own meal. Her hands worked quickly, carving away at pelt and meat like it was second nature. Hell, it practically was by that point. From off to the side, Bishop watched her. The task at hand seemed to have distracted her, but he knew what she had going on in the back of her mind. While things cooked, she excused herself to clean off the blood from her hands. 

The meal was eaten in silence. Bishop didn't bother hiding the smug look on his face as the elf stared down at her plate, avoiding eye contact. She eventually ate and got up. A glance was made his way before she turned and walked off towards the tent.

She was in the middle of removing her gauntlets when she felt his hands at her hips. A faint blush dusted across her cheeks, and only got worse when she felt his steady breath against her ear. Hands began to slowly work at her cuirass, knowing that he didn't need to ask permission that night. She was fully allowing what he was going to do, even if she acted as though daring to get her in her current position was the ultimate sin.

After he'd gotten her topless, he undid her belt, and her skirt dropped to her ankles. Hands slid up her body, groping at her chest. She relaxed against him, letting out soft sigh. Her eyes had lidded themselves for a brief moment, but then she felt fingers trailing down her body. The feeling of them against her skin had her cheeks reddening further. He then slipped his hand past the line of her pants. Through the fabric of her underwear, she could feel him rubbing at her, and she pressed against his hand.

"You're already worked up. Aren't you, sweetness?" He chuckled. "I think you like the idea of submitting to me."

She growled softly at his teasing. "We'll see who the one on top is by the end of this, Ranger."

"We both know who that'll be." He pulled his hand out and spun her around so she was facing him. She'd never get enough of the hunger in his eyes whenever he looked her over. It was almost predatorial, and she was beginning to  _adore_ that attention from him. Fuck. Maybe she always had. "Why don't you go ahead and get the rest of that armor off."

She complied. Her boots were unstrapped and then kicked off so she could get out of her pants. Before she could get her underwear off, she found herself being scooped up off of her feet. The surprise had her clinging to him until he moved over to her bedroll and laid her down onto it, getting onto his knees before her once he did so. She looked up at the Nord smirking down at her. He undid his gloves and then tossed them off to the side. Then he hooked his fingers around her underwear and slowly pulled it down.

"I've waited a long time to see you like this, princess," He commented as he looked over the completely exposed elf before him. "Can't say I'm disappointed."

She propped herself up on her elbows. "Hardly seems fair that I'm the only one undressed here."

He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"I was just saying..."

"Yeah, you're always so opinionated, but this armor  _is_ getting a little uncomfortable right now. Since you're so keen on making comments about it, why don't you help me out here?" He pulled her up into a sitting position by her arm, and then guided both of her hands to his chest. She quickly got to work undoing the straps on his jacket. The amount of fumbling she did as she went about this amused him to no end.

Once she finally got him shirtless, she crawled onto his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and tugged him into a kiss. Her fingers gripped firmly at his hair, which pulled a low growl from his throat. As she did this, he eagerly began to explore her body. He groped at her breasts, then moved to her waist, and eventually down to her hips. Thumbs roughly massaged her pelvic area, causing her to squirm a little under his touch. When he pulled back from the kiss, they were both breathing heavily.

"Bishop..." She mumbled.

"Yes?"

"I want you."

The words had him letting out a breathy laugh. "I can tell."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Gods, she hated that smug look he wore sometimes. "Get inside me  _now_ or so help me Dibella-"

"Tch tch tch. I'm the one in charge tonight, remember?"

"If you pull that stunt you did back at the stream, I'll claw your fucking eyes out."

"Feisty tonight, are we? Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging." It was difficult for him to do that the previous time. No, he intended to bed her that night. "But you're going to be helping me out a bit first." His words had her raising an eyebrow. Then he got himself onto his feet again and undid his pants. "On your knees. In front of me." She did as he told her to and he pulled his pants down. The way her eyes widened had him chuckling. "Go on, then."

Her slender fingers wrapped themselves around him and stroked along his length. He stifled back some kind of noise at the feeling of her hand, but she heard enough to get her smirking. She gripped a little harder and began to stroke him faster. It wasn't long before he caught her attention by grabbing the hair on the back of her head. She was only able to look up for a moment before he forced her face closer to him. She feigned a confused look, which was ruined by the coy smile playing at her lips.

"Is there something you want?"

"Don't give me that shit, princess. You know  _exactly_ what I want from you. Now  _do_ it."

He was the one with frustration in his voice that time. She loved it. She ran gentle kisses down his shaft to tease him further. Her tongue then trailed along the underside of his length before her mouth finally reached his tip. She took it in soon after, tongue swirling around. He'd released a strained grunt at the feeling. It took a lot of willpower to hold back from just forcing her all the way down. She'd work towards that in due time.

She slowly began to take more of him in. Her pace only continued to aggravate him more. He'd taken to bunching up her wild mess of hair in his hand. His grip on it tightened as she only continued to take her time. Then she gave him  _that_ look. There was something devious going on behind those pretty green eyes of hers. It almost seemed as though she was daring him to crack. Well, he was just fine with doing so. There was no warning. He just thrusted his hips, and she was forced to take the entirety of him in. At first, she gagged around him, clearly not used to doing this. She eventually settled down, however. After pulling back a little, she took a deep breath through her nose and started bobbing her head.

Despite the fact he hated that little game she decided to play at first, he had to admit the satisfaction of her finally doing what he wanted was worth bearing through it. She'd picked up her pace a good bit and occasionally forced herself to go a little further than normal. The grip he had on her hair had been released, and he instead combed through it as a form of praise. Her eyes closed as she listened to the grunts and groans that escaped him.

As that all happened, she dipped her one hand between her legs and began to rub at herself. She moaned against him at one point, and the sudden feeling had him buck his hips. It'd caught her off guard and had her gagging again, but she continued on afterwards without really caring. She wanted him to lose control of himself, and he seemed pretty damn close to doing that. After the same process repeating a couple more times, he finally did.

She was pulled off of him and then forced onto the bedroll. He got between her legs and leaned over her. Gods... That look he gave her... The thumb rubbing at her clit had her squirming a little and pressing further into his hand. Two fingers then inserted themselves into her entrance and began pumping. Even that had her writhing around. She felt so sensitive to everything he did, and  _fuck_ did it all feel nice. Everything that'd happened already was just the start, however.

After a little while of readying her, he leaned in closely, continuing to look her in the eyes as he spoke again. "I'm going to take you so damn hard you'll need to  _crawl_ up those Seven Thousand Steps tomorrow." Those words had her blushing straight to the tips of her ears. "I can tell you want me too, sweetheart. Just say the word."

"Please." The tone of her voice had him grinning wildly. It was hard to believe how such a stubborn and proud Bosmer could sound so meek. Yet, there she was, begging for him to fuck her.

He adjusted himself a little and then lined up with her. Admittedly, he thrusted into her with a little more force than he intended, and that had her clawing at the furs below her. She let out a strained whine, which had him stilling long enough for her to adjust. It took a moment, but she finally nodded and he began to move at a slow pace. He really should've expected her to be as tight as she was, given how she was small among even her own kind. Still, he didn't mind, though he was careful and tried to avoid making her uncomfortable. Apparently  _too_ careful.

"Aren't you going to make good on that promise, Ranger?" He could hear the frustration in her voice.

"You sure?" He asked. Fuck, did he sound  _too_ concerned? He managed a grin to mask that, though she wasn't exactly able to pick up on those nuances at that point anyway. That typically sharp look in her green eyes had dulled over from pleasure. "Wouldn't want to mess up the almighty dragonslayer too bad, would we?"

"Just stop playing around, bastard."

"Are you in any position to be talking to me that way?"

She threw her head back and groaned. Of  _all_ the people in Skyrim she could've possibly grown attracted to, it had to be  _this_ guy. "Gods be  _damned,_ Bishop. Take me now, and do it  _hard!_ "

That was probably the best he'd get from her. He obliged and began to quicken his pace. His hands settled at her hips to keep her from squirming around too much as she tried to adjust. Once she managed to do so, he used them to prop himself up when he leaned closer to her. She immediately pulled him into a kiss, stifling the noises she'd been letting out previously. One hand tangled itself in his messy hair and the other clawed at his shoulder. A particularly rough thrust into her - which he'd actually planned that time - had her pulling back and moaning. The hand at his shoulder came up to cover her mouth and she squeezed her eyes shut.

He managed a breathy chuckle. "Enjoying yourself?" Her tugging at his hair was the only response he'd gotten from that. He move the hand at her mouth to the side and kissed her again. Then he went for her neck. The feeling of his teeth pressing into her skin had her gasping. She clawed into his back in response, which had him groaning against her.

"Mmh... Bishop..." She mumbled. "Harder."

He pulled away from her neck and smirked down at her. "Sure thing, princess."

While she normally had, at the very most, a bitter neutrality towards that nickname he'd been using since they first met, she kind of liked it in the moment. Maybe it was the lust clouding her mind and the way his voice sounded when he used it. Though maybe, just maybe, she could learn to like it more. She glanced downwards when she felt his hands at her hips again. There was a brief pause in his movements, then he started again at a faster and rougher pace than before. It was a good thing his hands were keeping her as steady as possible. Hell, he still had issues holding her still.

When he picked up, her moans only got louder. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs loosely around his waist. "I think I'm gonna..." She could barely get out those words, but he understood what she was getting at.

"Scream my name as you cum," He demanded. The words had her eyes widening. "Wake up this whole damn forest. Let them know who got you this way. Do it."

She laid her head back and mumbled something under her breath.

"Louder."

The elf nodded. Her breathing grew more ragged as she neared her orgasm. It wasn't too long before the sensation finally washed over her, and she did just what he asked of her. She clenched tighter around him as it happened, which had him slowing down his pace a little. Her screaming did leave him with a wicked grin though.

He leaned down and kissed her. "Good girl."

She mumbled something incoherent at his little praise, a bit too dazed to form actual words. Her arms had fallen to the sides of her head. While she'd mostly calmed down with her squirming, her one leg had started to twitch involuntarily. He glanced over and then placed a hand on it. She immediately became aware of it happening and stilled it as best as she could, but it got harder to do that once he started to go faster. Was he messing with her? It was definitely working.

He could feel himself nearing his own climax, which had him thrusting harder into her. The sudden harsh shift caught her by surprise. She let out a strained noise as her hold on him with her legs tightened a little. She didn't really know how much longer it'd lasted, but he eventually pulled out and released onto her stomach with a loud groan. Her legs eventually let go of him when he sat back.

"I think I could get used to the sight of you like this. You look like a mess." He was panting hard and his words came out between breaths.

The elf managed a laugh and then sat up. She then looked around for something to wipe herself off with as Bishop pulled his pants up again. When she was done, she was pulled onto his lap. He didn't give her any time to respond before his lips were against hers. Her arms wrapped loosely around his shoulders, while one of his hands tangled itself into her thoroughly messed up hair. That was going to be fun to deal with in the morning, but that wasn't on her mind.

She broke the kiss and pressed her forehead against his. With her breathing more even, she finally spoke. "That was... Intense."

"That it was. You were holding out on me, ladyship." He moved back to look her in the eyes. "I have to ask though, was this..."

"My first time?" She finished. Her thoughts briefly flashed back to previous lovers. All but one of them proved to be simple temporary infatuation. Then there was... No, she didn't need that on her mind. "No, but... It's never felt like this before." She chuckled a little awkwardly and averted her gaze. "I... Almost want it again."

"Is that so?" He placed a hand against her cheek, and she leaned into it. "I'm more than willing to oblige. Fuck, I could keep you under me all night."

"Tch. I don't think so, Ranger. You had your fun." Her words had him raising an eyebrow, and she gave him a grin that could make a dremora piss itself. "I'm the one on top this time."

* * *

 

She slept like a log that night, primarily from physical exhaustion. Though the release of tension that'd been building up between the two for a while had definitely helped ease her mind. She'd barely managed to slip into her nightwear and crawl under the furs of her bedroll before she was passed out in his arms. She'd woken up rather late the next morning to him being nowhere in sight. Her brow furrowed and she struggled to her feet. Gods be damned.  _Everything_ hurt. When she stumbled out of the tent, she found him sitting casually by a newly lit fire.

"Finally woke up?" He asked.

"Yeah... Gods, that all happened last night." She managed to walk over to him and then sat down by his side.

"Mhm. The shape you're in just proves it." He chuckled at the sight of her on wobbly legs. "You're a complete mess, sweetness. Even your hair looks crazier than normal. I like that though. The 'morning after' look suits you."

His words had her blushing bright red. A hand reached up to assess just how bad it was. Fingers caught several rather harsh knots as they ran through her locks. "Shit. I'll have to deal with that."

"Later. I think I want to admire how you look right now for a bit." He paused. "Oh, and I got you something." He reached off to his other side and picked up a wooden bowl. "I went for a bit of foraging while I was collecting firewood and came across some things out in the forest. Figured I'd do something special."

She took the bowl from him and examined the contents. Cut up venison, cooked wild berries, edible mushrooms. It brought a smile to her face. She leaned over and pecked his cheek. "How kind of you, Ranger. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"Just... Give me a moment." She sat the bowl down and raised her hand. A familiar incantation was muttered under her breath, and an equally familiar green light began to engulf her hand. She breathed in deeply as it made its way down her arm, and then eventually surged across her entire body. The sensation left her shuddering after, but the pain dulled significantly. "Been a good while since I had to do that. At least I'm not in pain. Not that last night wasn't enjoyable." Those words had him smirking. She picked up the bowl again and leaned against him as she began to eat. Her eyes were trained on the crackling fire in front of them. Not much was spoken between the two of them.

After she'd finished and managed to made herself look decent, they both packed up and began their trek to Ivarstead with Karnwyr following behind, and then up the mountain. It took a few hours, as it normally did, but they reached the summit. The elf then dashed into High Hrothgar and out into the courtyard. Arngeir stood off towards the side of the building. He noticed the group as they headed into the area.

"The Elder Scroll," He said, stopping Wyllin in her tracks. "I can feel its wicked energies. I must warn you, Dragonborn, what you carry with you is a powerful and dangerous artifact. Please take care in handling it."

"I'll be fine, Master Arngeir, but thank you for your concern." She gave a polite bow and then headed off towards the wall of wind that'd eventually lead her up to the Throat of the World. Her Thu'um cleared her path as she walked up the mountain with Bishop and Karnwyr. When they reached near the peak, the latter was told to wait. They didn't know what would come from all of this, but the air felt tense.

"You have it!" Paarthurnax exclaimed from the mound of rocks he was perched on. "The  _Kel. Tiid kreh... Qalos._ Time shudders at its touch. There is no question,  _Dovahkiin._ You are doom-driven.  _Kogaan Akatosh!_ The very bones of Nirn are at your disposal." He then gestured towards the shifting patch on the mountain. "Go on then, fulfill your destiny. Take the Elder Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. I feel that Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs."

She nodded towards the greying dragon, and then moved towards the Wound. She didn't allow herself much time to prepare. Once she'd breathed in deeply, she opened the Scroll. Immediately, her gaze fixed in place as the world around her began to shift around, morph, and fade. Symbols rushed before her, and she was suddenly... Back in time? Bishop couldn't do much more than watch this happen. Wyllin mumbled to herself as several heroes from the past spoke to one another. Then... He appeared. The Shout happened.

_"JOOR ZAH FRUL."_

Everything hit her at once. She could feel the agony the Nords suffered under the cruel hand of Alduin and his Dragon Cult. She could feel the anger and hatred that filled their hearts, which they then poured into the three Words of this Shout. It was beyond painful. It was almost soul crushing. The rage only made it worse. She'd never felt an emotion so raw and pure in her life. The cruelty of Alduin and his cult was definitely unimaginable, and now the anger as the result of it was coursing through her very being, filling her with a new burning desire to track down that bastard and rip his wings off with her bare hands.

Then the meanings of those Words themselves crashed into her. Mortal. Finite. Temporary. The knowledge of her own mortality was never something she enjoyed thinking about, but it rushed towards her and flooded her mind. It was almost as though she could feel death itself grasping for her soul, wanting to drag it from her body, and she had to fight back against it.

Towards the end of her vision, she saw the Elder Scroll being used on a very confused Alduin. He cursed the mortals in dragon tongue as he vanished into seemingly nothingness. As this happened, she was slowly brought back to the present time. Once she did, she collapsed to her knees, causing Bishop to rush over to her.

"Did you do it?" He asked as he helped her back to her feet.

"Y-yes." She could hardly even get that out as she tried to recollect herself. As she did, the sounds of Alduin's approach could be heard off in the distance, which immediately had her clenching her fists. Everything she'd taken in from learning Dragonrend was fresh in her mind. With their true meanings unlocked, she was ready to take down this monster once and for all. Her eyes settled on the form of a large, black dragon hovering before her.

_"Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor,"_ Alduin growled as Wyllin stared him down. Her newfound disdain for him matched the intensity of his for mortals. "My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals,  _Dovahkiin_. Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!"

Off to her side, Paarthurnax cut in. "You are too late, Alduin!  _Dovahkiin_ , use Dragonrend if you know it!"

She didn't hesitate. Her soul tapped into that hatred the Nords of old felt towards the dragons, and then she belted out her mighty Thu'um.  _"JOOR ZAH FRUL."_  Upon hearing those words being spoken, Alduin was forced to the mountain's surface. He roared towards the Dragonborn in anger as his mind failed to comprehend the thoughts it was flooded with.

"You've picked up the weapon of my old enemies," He growled as his eyes fixed on the mortal before him. "Yet you are not their equal!  _Hin sil los dii!_ " He snarled and snapped at Wyllin, who quickly leapt out of the way. She fired an arrow into his snout after his failed attempt.

Off to the side, Bishop took aim as well. His companion's bobbing and weaving of their enemy's attacks made it difficult for him to aim at the dragon's head, so he settled for firing a few shots into his neck. The prideful lizard couldn't take his attention off of the Dragonborn, however, so his attacks weren't actually acknowledged.

Wyllin took aim and loosed another arrow into Alduin, this time narrowly missing his eye. He roared in pain, and then struck at her, managing to knock her off balance. She landed onto the snowy ground below, and then looked up at the approaching dragon. Smoke began to bubble from his mouth. He nearly unleashed his Fire Breath upon her, but was interrupted by Paarthurnax, who struck him on the side of his head.

He snarled at his brother. " _Suleyki mulaag_ , Paarthurnax. My power has waxed, while yours has waned.  _Aav uv dir_. Join me or perish with your mortal friends."

"Never again, Alduin!" Paarthurnax responded as he snapped at the other dragon again.  _"Pahlok los daaniil!"_

As Alduin tried to lift himself off the ground, Wyllin downed him again with her Thu'um, and then rushed towards him with her blades. She narrowly avoided his strikes, before retaliating with her own. At one point, he managed to release his Thu'um, which caught her hand. She hissed loudly and dropped the blade in it. He snapped at her again, which nearly had her on the ground once more. Then Bishop struck him just in time, which allowed her to regain her balance. She then raked the blade she was still holding onto across the dragon's neck. He growled and backed up.

"You have grown strong,  _Dovahkiin_ ," The World-Eater hissed. "But I am Al-du-in, first born of Akatosh! I cannot be slain here. Not by you, or any other!" He then managed to successfully launch himself off the ground again. "Your day is coming,  _joor._ Soon, I will feast on your soul in Sovngarde!" Before she could bring him back down again, he swooped overhead and knocked both her and the Ranger to the ground, and then flew off into the distance.

"Get back here, cowardly worm!" She called out to him once she was back on her feet, but it was too late. He was too far for even her Thu'um to reach. She just clutched her wounded hand close to her chest as she glared at the ever-fading form of Alduin.

Paarthurnax perched atop the snow-covered Word Wall. " _Lok krongrah!_  You truly have the Voice of a  _dovah!_ " He laughed. "Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory."

The elf turned to face the grey dragon, and sighed. "I don't see it as much of a victory. Alduin is still out there." He continued to speak while she began to heal her hand.

"Hmm, true. This is not the final  _krongrah,_ victory, but you still had him running. Alduin has always been  _pahlok_ , arrogant, in his power. He took domination as his birthright. You have sent his allies a powerful message by facing him here.  _Ni liivrah hin suleyk._  You've no doubt shaken their loyalty towards him."

"Well, what do we do now then? I need to find out where he's gone."

The dragon nodded and thought on her words. In the meantime, she took to healing her wound. As she did so, he spoke again. "One of his allies could tell us.  _Nust los motmahus._  It will not be easy to... Convince one of them to betray him. Perhaps the  _hofkahsejun_  - the palace in Whiterun could help. It was originally built to house a captive dovah. A fine place for one of Alduin's allies, hmm?" If he were capable of it, Paarthurnax would've undoubtedly had a cheeky smile as he brought up that suggestion.

Wyllin gave him a puzzled expression. "Dragonsreach? That was built to house a captive dragon?"

"Yes, but this was ages ago. There were more of us then, before the  _bruniike_ \- the Akaviri - came and killed all my  _zeymah_. I would visit him from time to time, but he was nearly crazed by loneliness and captivity. He did not even remember his own name. I do not know how he came to be caught, but the Jarl was very proud of his pet.  _Paak!_ " Paarthurnax sounded mournful, but brushed off the emotion. "The  _hofkahsejun_ was known as Dragonsreach ever since."

The Jarl. Right. "Speaking of Jarls, I doubt Balgruuf will like this idea. He's very dedicated to his city, and to keeping dragons  _out_ of his city."

"Hmm, I see, but your  _Su'um_ is strong,  _Dovahkiin._ I have no doubt you'll be able to convince him of the need. He wishes for this world to live on too, no?"

She nodded. "I'll see what can be done."

"Lok Thu'um." With that, he flew off, and Wyllin turned to head back down the mountain.

As usual, Bishop had his qualms with her ideas. He stopped her. "Are you sure this is something we should be doing? Trying to kill one of these flying bastards is hard enough. Now you want to try and  _trap_ one of them?"

"Do you have a better idea?" She asked. "Say what you want, Bishop. You're not going to stop this from happening."

He groaned. "And here we go again! The foolish Dragonborn stubbornly throws herself in harm's way in order to do something that may or may not even work! She takes no one else's emotions into account, nor how they would feel if she got eaten alive by one of these damned lizards!"

Wyllin jabbed his side. "Shut it! If I don't do this, there won't  _be_ anyone else  _to_ take into account. In case you haven't noticed, that crazy dragon we fought back there wants to literally destroy the world!"

"You're infuriating!"

"You're one to talk! Now, come on. We need to get back to Whiterun. I need to speak with Balgruuf as soon as I possibly can."

* * *

 

"I'm sorry... I must've misheard you. What did you say you wanted to do?"

"I need to trap a dragon in your palace," Wyllin repeated, matter-of-factly.

The Jarl frowned. "What you're asking of me is insane. Impossible! You want me to allow a dragon into the heart of my city while a war is going on outside?"

"My Jarl, I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't urgent. Alduin himself has come back!"

"Alduin? The World-Eater?" Balgruuf sat back in his throne, trying to take the information in. "But doesn't his return mean it's the end times?"

"Not if I can do anything about it. That's why I need your help."

He sighed. "Right, the Greybeards summoned you. They think you are Dragonborn, so you'd be the only one who can stop this. Fine, I will offer my support, but I need to ask you something in return, Thane."

"Anything."

"This dragon could cause a lot of problems for my people, especially if it attacks the city. Ulfric and Tullius are undoubtedly waiting for just the right moment to strike and take over. I can't possibly allow them that opportunity. Before I can do anything about your dragon problem, I need to know my people will be safe in the event this goes wrong."

"Of course..." She thought for a moment. "Well, what about a peace counsel? With the Greybeards? Both sides respect them, and High Hrothgar is neutral territory."

"If you can convince them of the urgency like you have with me, I will help you in any way I can. Go then. See what they say. I'll await your return with the news. Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to stop this pointless war as well as the dragon menace."

"Thank you for understanding, my Jarl." With that, she turned around and made her way out of Dragonsreach.

Once they exited the palace, Bishop spoke up for the first time since they entered Whiterun. "So, you're Dragonborn and are constantly hunting fire breathing winged lizards for sport. You've faced off against Alduin and had him retreating to fuck knows where with his tail between his legs, and you're now hellbent on killing him for good. Now you've decided to try and put a temporary end to the Civil War? Is there anything you  _don't_ do, ladyship?"

"Listen to dramatic little Rangers who are trying to deter me from stopping the literal end of the world." She smirked over at him.

He sneered. "Oh, and you're pretty damn good at antagonizing me. Let's add that into the mix as well."

"Calm down now. We have a bunch of old bearded dudes to talk to about hosting a peace counsel."

"How many times are we going to have to climb these damned Steps again?"

"As many times as it takes until we can end this dragon issue."

The Greybeards definitely took some convincing to host the counsel, and for good reason. They weren't warriors, and weren't supposed to take part in the war raging across the land below, nor did they have any interest to. Still, Arngeir recognized that Paarthurnax had chosen to help Wyllin with her efforts. While he was against every aspect of her plan, he knew that he had to bow to it. She  _was_ Dragonborn, after all. With his blessing, she was off to both Solitude and Windhelm to speak with Tullius and Ulfric. Hopefully they would agree to the idea as well.


	17. The Prince of Song

While the two were closer to Windhelm, they both agreed on their way down the mountain that Ulfric would be hard to convince without Tullius already having done so. The Stormcloaks were a stubborn sort, and even the Dragonborn's words alone probably wouldn't have been enough to sway him. So they decided to head to Whiterun and take the carriage to Solitude. The driver was at least a bit more willing to accept Karnwyr on board that time. Though the wolf mostly just rested against Bishop, who had his arm wrapped around Wyllin.

"You alright?" He asked when he noticed how lost in thought she seemed to be.

She glanced towards him. "Hmm? Yeah. I'm just thinking about what I'm going to even say to these men. They've been locked in this war for so long. What if I can't even convince them? How am I going to do all of this then?"

"You'll find a way, Wyllin," He assured her. "I've seen you fight dragons, take on an entire camp of Forsworn, dive head first into a Dwemer ruin, send Alduin fleeing back to Sovngarde... All without so much as batting a damn eyelash. I think talking sense into two warring factions could be a damn cakewalk for you at this point."

She smiled softly at his words. "You do?"

"Of course. You might be goddamn insane, but you're also capable. Don't doubt that about yourself."

Her head rested against his shoulder. "Thank you, Bishop."

"There's no need to, princess." He ruffled her hair as she got comfortable. She hadn't even noticed the fact she drifted off until they reached the stables and the Nord was waking her up.

Solitude turned out to be the easier of the two. Tullius had been found in his war room. Initially, he thought she was there to join the Legion, until she explained her true reasoning. He was fairly hesitant, but then she mentioned Alduin. The Legate with him, Rikke, knew the name from old Nordic tales, and knew of just what kind of threat Nirn itself was facing. The amount of concern in her voice as she relayed this information to her superior eventually had him agreeing to the counsel. The two would set off as soon as they could with a few others they decided to bring along.

Bishop and Wyllin decided to spend the rest of the day in Solitude. They shopped around for a little while, though it was mostly him lingering back as she chatted idly with the shopkeepers. Her and the local alchemist Angeline seemed to know each other well. She'd explained to Bishop how she found her daughter close to her deathbed due to a battle against the Stormcloaks and managed to heal her wounds and bring her back home. The daughter, Fura, had showed up at one point as well. Apparently she decided to retire from the Legion and take up a job closer to home as a Solitude guard.

Their night was then spent at the Winking Skeever. After a few drinks, the two eventually retired to a room at the inn. While she still wasn't keen on doing anything with him while they were at an inn, she was definitely just fine with a rather heated makeout session. Bishop couldn't resist groping at her under her night clothes, while she was clawing at his shoulders and back. Admittedly, he had her hooked. She wanted everything he could offer her. It'd been so long since she felt this type of passion, and he showed her how much she missed it. How much she missed being able to forget responsibilities and just be a woman with simple desires. After a few particularly deep scratches were healed up and a few apologies were muttered under the elf's breath, the two did manage to fall asleep.

* * *

 

The trip to Windhelm fared much worse than the one to Solitude, which had Wyllin wishing she'd just stopped by there first. They'd initially gone by carriage, but a dragon decided to strike while they were nearing Whiterun hold. That left the carriage driver apologizing profusely and refunding their gold before leaving them on the road to finish the rest of their journey on foot. Then a necromancer and his small group of controlled undead decided they wanted a piece of them just a short while after, which forced them to rest for the night due to the injuries they sustained. Then ice wolves came after when they crossed into Eastmarch the next day. Good old Skyrim hospitality.

By the time it was all said and done, the sun was setting on the day after they left Solitude. Wyllin's nerves were wracked and she could tell her companions fared no better. A rest at the Candlehearth Hall was sorely needed. While the Bosmer was halfway through her second drink, a man in bard's clothing approached her.

"Excuse me."

The words had her turning around to face the peculiar Imperial. Her brow furrowed at the sight of him. "Can I... Help you?"

"I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but might I be in the presence of the Dragonborn herself?"

Oh,  _fantastic._ Another adoring fan. "Depends on who's asking."

"No, it must be you! I recognize everything from the descriptions I've heard. It's an honor to be standing in your presence."

She groaned. For the love of... "You'll be sitting in a minute if you don't tell me what you want." Her comment had Bishop chuckling off to the side.

The bard apparently didn't hear her. Instead, he turned to the others around them. "Today, fair people of Windhelm, we witness a living legend among us! None other than the Dragonborn herself!" His words had caught the eyes of most of the patrons and they turned to face the one he was talking about.

"Gods help me," Wyllin mumbled as she shrunk into her chair. "All I want to do is deal with the dragons. Is that too much to ask?"

Again, her words fell on deaf ears. The bard turned back to her. "Ah, but it's foolish of me not to introduce myself. My name is Alec, Prince of Song, and I am very pleased to make your acquaintance."

Prince of Song, eh? Was that the best he could come up with? The Bosmer sighed. "Well, it's nice to meet you as well. Do you want me to sign your lute or something?"

He chuckled. "So she has a sense of humor that matches her beauty, I see." Yes, and a quick temper as well. "Listen, I've spent so much of my time studying your adventures. I came to Skyrim in hopes of one day meeting you, as I'm sure many have in the past. Your heroic deeds bring hope to the people of these lands, and us bards sing songs of you even outside the confines of the icy north."

She propped her elbow on the table, and then rested her cheek on her palm. The fingernails of her free hand tapped the mug of ale she'd been drinking from. "Is there a point to all of this, mister Prince of Song? If I wanted someone to kiss my boots all night, I'd just ask my Ranger companion over here." Her words had said Ranger grumbling.

"Yes, of course! Listen, your arrival couldn't be at a better time. I will be holding a special performance within the Palace of the Kings here in Windhelm later tonight. I would be delighted if you could attend."

Palace of the Kings? Perhaps it would be a good way for her to speak with Ulfric. "As long as you don't try to use me as some advertisement, I suppose it wouldn't be too bad." She turned to her companion. "What do you say, Bishop?"

"I say we stick to our task at hand. We have better things to be doing than attending some concert held by the Prince of Snores here." He shook his head and brought his mug up to his lips.

Wyllin let out a frustrated sigh. "Forgive him. It's been a long trip. We'll attend this performance of yours."

Alec's eyes lit up. "And it will be an honor to have you! It will be held tonight in the palace theater." His eyes then shifted towards Bishop for a couple of seconds. "But I think it would be better if you were to leave any animals outside."

The comment just about had Bishop rising to his feet, but he stopped when she held out her hand. "He's not as savage as he might want others to believe. Besides, he's my bodyguard of sorts. Wouldn't want to deprive me of safety in these trying times, hmm?"

"No. Of course not! Forgive me. He may attend." The bard gave a sigh of resignation. "So as long as he doesn't cause any problems."

She smiled at him. "I've got him under control. Us Bosmer have a way with animals. A feral wolf is no more dangerous than a common house cat to me."

"Ladyship..."

"Hush you."

Alec looked back and forth between the two, a bit concerned. Apparently he figured it was better to leave before the situation escalated. "Well, I will see you in the theater tonight, my dear muse."

She nodded, and then watched as he happily walked away. Her eyes then turned back to the somewhat heated Ranger before her.

"This is going to be a waste of time and you  _know_ it, ladyship."

"Relax, would you? We're not going to be heading back out tonight anyway. Besides, he said his performance would be in the palace. That means Ulfric is bound to be there. If I attend, I might not need to find some other way to gain an audience with him. It's called using your brain, Bishop. Maybe you should try that more often."

Her snarky comment had him groaning. "Well, you can count me out. I'd rather not have my ears bleed, thank you."

"Oh, come on now. I doubt he'll be that bad."

"He's named himself the 'Prince of Song', for Gods' sakes. That alone should be a red flag."

"Well, you're coming with me, whether you like it or not."

"I kind of figured I wouldn't have a choice. Worth a shot, I guess."

She gave him a sickly sweet smile.

After a short while, they decided to make their way over to the Palace of Kings. Several others had begun to do so as well. Once inside, they immediately went for the theater. It was slightly crowded, but Wyllin was able to find her mark among the rabble. She approached the Jarl, who immediately turned his attention to her.

"You're the Dragonborn, aren't you? I was told you'd be coming, but I figured it was just that bard trying to get attention."

She nodded. "Greetings, Jarl. I was actually supposed to be here on business, but sometimes these things happen. Actually, I initially came to Windhelm to discuss matters with you involving the dragon menace."

The Jarl looked her over curiously. "What would you need from me?"

"The Greybeards are hosting a peace counsel at High Hrothgar. In order for me to take care of these dragons once and for all, I'm going to need a temporary truce between the Stormcloaks and Imperials."

He frowned. "Dragonborn, I have the greatest respect for both you and the Greybeards, and I know the attacks from the dragons are a growing plague, but the political matters at hand are very delicate. I don't feel it would be a good idea to agree to this."

Part of her had the feeling he would say that. She groaned. "Politics be damned, Jarl! This threat is greater than you know. Alduin himself has returned!"

Those words shocked Ulfric. "Alduin? The World-Eater of song and legend? If that's true, then it changes everything, doesn't it? Even Tullius may be forced to talk sense in the face of such a threat."

"He's already agreed to come. I spoke with him a few days back in Solitude."

"Even better. Maybe I can convince him to quit Skyrim yet. Very well, Dragonborn. I will come to this peace counsel." That was probably the best answer she could get from him.

"Thank you, Jarl Ulfric."

"Now please, enjoy your stay here in Windhelm."

"I shall." She then turned and walked off, with Bishop following close behind.

"I don't think that could've gone any better," He commented as they made their way across the room.

"It probably couldn't have. At least they've both agreed to join. Hopefully this isn't all for nothing." She then looked around, and spotted two seats right near the stage. "I'm guessing those are for us?"

A woman by the stage noticed the two and waved them over. She then gestured towards the seats.

"I guess so. Looks like we have a front row view."

"Fantastic. Please refrain from throwing any food at him."

Bishop lifted his hands in the air. "No promises." He then laughed at the glare she gave him. "What? I'm kidding... Mostly."

Not long after the two took their seats, the show began. Slowly, everyone else began to file into theirs as well. Alec walked onto and greeted everyone. Of course, he couldn't resist making it very clear that the Dragonborn was in attendance, in case there wasn't anyone who didn't know by that point. As he began to sing, she settled back. 

To be fair, he wasn't actually bad, and the songs he sang weren't the same few she often heard in the taverns. At one point, she felt Bishop's hand rest against the one she had on the armrest nearest to him. She glanced over and smiled, before moving to rest her other one on top of his and turning back to Alec. The last song he played must've been picked because of her. It was a song she knew from Valenwood. She smiled softly as memories of hearing it while back in her homeland filled her mind. As the performance came to a close, everyone in the room clapped. Even Bishop reluctantly did so after catching the glare his companion was giving him.

While everyone began to leave, Wyllin made her way up to Alec. He smiled as he noticed her approaching. The Bosmer returned that in kind. "It was a beautiful performance, Alec. Thank you."

"I dedicated it to you, my muse. Of course I would only give the best I could offer. Your approval means a lot to me." His words had her giggling. Then he took her hand in his own, and his expression turned more serious. "But please, won't you dine with me tonight? I have so many more songs I can sing to you, and it would truly be inspirational to hear of your travels first hand. We could spend an unforgettable night together. Just you and I."

Bishop then walked up beside her. "Hah! Oh please, bard. The only thing she'll remember of you this night is the sight of you retreating as we leave."

Her gaze fixated on the Ranger and a scowl formed on her face. "Bishop, don't even start."

Alec didn't even pay him any mind. "Think of what we could accomplish if we traveled together, Dragonborn. We could go wherever you want, and I'll sing your name from every rooftop along the way."

"So we're playing the ignoring game now, are we?" Bishop walked closer to the bard and stared him down. "Let me tell you something, bard, you're not even close to the type of man she'd prefer. I don't know where you got this idea that she'd ever fall for you, but I know better."

His words had Wyllin blushing, primarily out of embarrassment.  _"Bishop."_

Alec crossed his arms as he made an attempt to stare the wolf down. "So she prefers your kind? Savage and untamed? I could show her that."

"You? Savage? Untamed?" The words had Bishop laughing. "What are you going to do if a dragon attacks? Pull out your lute and sing it a pretty song? Maybe you'll get lucky and bore it to death! No, bard. You don't have what it takes to be on the road with her. Believe me, it's far more dangerous than you could ever handle." For once, he was right. Even if she knew his words were spurred by jealousy, he did have a point. Alec just wouldn't stand a chance against her enemies.

The elf sighed and approached him. "Listen, your offer sounds beautiful, but I don't really have the time now. I came to Windhelm in order to speak with Jarl Ulfric on matters relating to Alduin."

At that name, the bard's eyes widened. "Alduin? I've heard his name and legends spoken and sung through my travels. So he's truly returned along with the others?"

She nodded. "And I need to stop him. I don't have much time to spend before I need to get back out on the road. Perhaps we can sit down together at a later date and you can document my travels then?"

The suggestion had him lighting up. "Of course! That sounds wonderful! I have no doubt that you can stop him, and I will wait here for your return."

"Very well, but I need to go for now. I'll be heading out again tomorrow. Thank you for the lovely performance." She then waved at him before turning around and walking out of the theater.

Along the way, Bishop spoke up. "I thought you didn't like people worshiping you."

"Maybe it would be nice to have someone know of my experiences as they actually happened, rather than just what everyone else tells them. Well, other than you, of course. I can only imagine what all those other bards are singing of when it comes to me, but I doubt it's anything even close to the truth."

"You do realize he'll just flower them up like every other bard out there, right?"

"It's worth a shot. Besides, there will be more truth behind them if I'm the one actually recounting the stories." She sighed at him. "Anyway, I could go for a nice bath and a few more drinks. Care to join me?"

"For the drinks or the bath?"

"Maybe both."

"Are you tempting me, ladyship?"

She shrugged and just kept on walking, a devious smirk curling up on her lips. That night would definitely be interesting for the both of them, and well deserved after the shitshow they went through just to get to the city.

* * *

 

The night passed by smoothly. It was good to rest after such a long journey. Surprisingly, the performance did leave Wyllin in high spirits, despite the little spat Alec and Bishop got into. Really, she just expected the latter's jealous behavior anymore. At least it didn't escalate as far as she thought it would for a moment. The two had retreated to a room later on that night after a few drinks and a warm bath, and both of them slept soundly. More trials would come in the morning, but she was content for the time being. They went about their typical morning routine after they woke up. Rumors of the Jarl setting out sometime just before them brought some comfort to the Dragonborn. She knew he at least had enough sense talked into him. After eating and stopping by the markets to get a few things, they were off on the road again.

Luckily, their trip to the Seven Thousand Steps was a lot less hectic than the one they took to Windhelm. There was little more than a few wild animals to deal with along the way, but that really wasn't anything new. At one point, Wyllin lost track of Bishop for a few moments, only to have him walk up behind her and tap her on the shoulder. She quickly turned around to see him playfully grinning down at her. Just what was this Nord planning?

"Close your eyes and open your mouth."

His request had her giving him a confused look. "That doesn't sound like a good idea."

"Would I ever do anything to actually harm you?"

Fair point. "Very well." She did as he asked. Several small berries were pushed into her mouth, and she recognized the tartness right away. Jazbay grapes. While she rarely ever had much of a taste for things like them, primarily due to her solely carnivorous diet back in Valenwood, she did appreciate it every now and then. She chewed at the berries with a smile on her face. Then she felt his lips against hers. A blush rose to her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her. Then he pulled away, and her eyes fluttered open again. "What was that for?"

He shrugged and turned to start heading back down the road.

"And you call  _me_  a tease," She mumbled.

"Were you expecting more, ladyship? I'm certain we can find a secluded place if you were."

"Tch, keep dreaming. We have a crazy world destroying dragon to deal with. If you really wanted to break the silence though, you could've just spoken up like a normal person."

"You think I'm normal?"

"Yeah, okay, you have me there," She chuckled. "Well, is there anything you  _did_  want to speak about?"

Another shrug. "You always seem to talk up Valenwood. I've never been to the province before, so what's it like there?"

The elf breathed in deeply through her nose, feeling the cold sting of Skyrim's crisp air through her nostrils, and then exhaled through her mouth. "My home is far different than Skyrim. It's primarily covered in trees that reach up even beyond the clouds. The villages are small, and are built in perfect harmony with those trees. The Green Pact forbids its worshipers from harming plant life, among other things, so we had to make do. Even the Altmer of the Dominion seem to bend to our customs, but I feel that's because they know how vital my kin are to them. You won't find better archers anywhere else in Tamriel."

"So I've heard. You seem to talk up that aspect a bit as well."

"And it's not without good reason! You've seen my skills, and I'm not even among the best of them. Far from it, in fact. That honor goes to the Jaqspurs."

He shot her a confused look. "The  _Whatspurs?"_

His response had her cackling. "The  _Jaqspurs_ are masters of long-distance archery, and they're what made our kind famous when it comes to marksmanship. Their methods are awe inspiring. You'll never find anyone else able to draw and shoot arrows as quickly and fluidly as they do. My brother has been trained as one, and is of the best in our village. I wanted to become one as well when I was younger, but realized I'm much better with a slower and more methodical pace. Not that their aim isn't dead on even despite their speed."

"They don't sound like the type to go up against."

"Most wood elves with bows in their hands aren't, which is why you should be careful around me, Ranger. I could one-up you any day."

"I'd like to see you try, ladyship."

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't say things you might regret, Bishop. I wouldn't want to hurt that ego of yours."

"Like you did back in the forests of the Rift a few nights ago?"

"Oh be quiet!" She huffed. "Fine? Want to see what I can do?" She pulled out her bow and took aim at a nearby tree. Without much hesitation, she managed to fire off three arrows in rapid succession, all of which hit their mark. It didn't come close to matching the skill of the Jaqspurs in her mind, but it was still impressive nonetheless. She then looked over towards Bishop. "Your turn, mighty Ranger."

He grinned back at her and readied his bow. The first two were fired at the tree. One hit, though the other was less successful, which had Wyllin giggling. The Nord growled and took aim again, but at the last second turned and fired towards her. The arrow landed just between her legs, causing her to jump back.

"Watch it!"

He laughed. "Would you prefer something else between those pretty legs of yours, then? I could think of a few things."

The wood elf grumbled something that included the words 'insatiable animal' - which only had him laughing further - as she gathered her arrows. Once they were back in her quiver, she set out onto the road again. Karnwyr hurried to catch up with her, and Bishop soon followed after.

A short while later and they were at Ivarstead. There was still enough daylight for Wyllin to feel comfortable climbing the Steps, so that's what they did. Bishop complained a few times along the way, which really wasn't anything new, but she hushed him and did her best to remind him of how important the counsel was. He, of course, still thought that it was going to be completely pointless to attempt, but there was no getting past that stubborn Bosmer. Once her mind was set on something, she would see it through. Before they entered High Hrothgar, however, he pulled her aside.

"Is there something you want?" She asked, tilting her head curiously at him.

He didn't waste any time explaining. Instead, she was pulled close to him, causing her to make a small noise of surprise. Instead of capturing her lips, he pressed his against her neck. Her fingers were tangled in his hair, and she gripped it firmly as he pulled the collar of her armor off to the side to kiss further down.

A bubbly giggle escaped from her throat. "You really haven't been able to keep your hands off me lately. Or your mouth, apparently."

He pulled back to look at her. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Mmm, no. Not usually, but we're going to be late for the counsel if you keep this up." She pulled back from him and readjusted her armor. "There will be plenty of time for fooling around  _after_ we figure out what to do with Alduin. Until then, well, you have pants for a reason. Maybe you should learn to keep certain things in them." She offered him a cheeky smirk, before moving past him and walking inside the temple, doing her best to shake off the blush that had formed across her face due to his little surprise attack.

When she entered, Arngeir noticed her. "So, you've done it. You've gathered men of war to a counsel in a temple dedicated to peace." There was a frown on his face as he spoke those words.

"You don't sound very happy," She commented.

"I'm not, but Paarthurnax agreed to help you, so I must honor his wishes, even if I feel this is a foolish endeavor."

"I'll get them to agree to a truce."

Arngeir shook his head. "A truce? I wouldn't call anything that might be agreed upon here a truce. They may lay down their weapons temporarily, but only to prepare for the next bloodletting once all of this has passed. You know, the old Nords had a phrase for war. Want to know what it was called?  _Evgir unslaad._ Season unending. An apt phrase, especially in these times."

"Well, I have to do something. Thank you for agreeing to this, Master." She bowed her head respectfully, and then made her way to the room where the counsel would be taking place. Something had her pausing just before she reached it, however.

The familiar voice of Delphine was heard coming from the entrance to the temple. Arngeir wasn't pleased by her presence, as was expected. She listened as the two bickered, until Esbern spoke up as well. The words he spoke seemed to calm the both of them down, and the group was soon on their way towards the room as well.

Wyllin turned her attention back ahead of her and continued walking, trying to brace herself for whatever might come ahead.


	18. Evgir Unslaad

Of fucking  _course_ they had to bring that Thalmor bitch to the meeting. Tullius had to have known it would cause issues. If not for Wyllin, then definitely for Ulfric. The Bosmer tried to play it off cool, but the moment Elenwen and her made eye contact, she wanted to scream.

"Well, if it isn't the one who invaded my embassy," The Altmer said as she looked Wyllin over. "I suppose I now know who you are."

She shot the Thalmor a dirty look, which said something along the lines of 'stay the  _fuck_ out of my way'. No words were given on her part. Instead, she simply, and briskly, walked past Elenwen and made her way over to her seat, offering waves to Elisif and Balgruuf as she went.

Bishop sat down next to her. "Isn't that Altmer the Ambassador for the Thalmor in Skyrim?"

"Yes."

"And we were the ones who invaded the embassy she lives in back when we were searching for that old man."

"Yep."

"Well, shit. I suppose we should avoid her."

"Exactly what I was thinking."

Arngeir entered the room shortly after and began to speak. "Now that everyone's here, I believe we can begin-"

"No," Ulfric interrupted. "You disgrace me by bringing this woman in with you? Your chief Talos hunter?!"

Elenwen sighed. "There's no need to be so hostile, Ulfric. I'm simply here to make sure nothing agreed upon in this room violates the White-Gold Concordat."

Tullius crossed his arms. "She's part of the Imperial delegation. You can't dictate who I can and can't bring to this counsel."

Before things could get too heated, Arngeir spoke up. "Please! If we have to negotiate the terms of the negotiation, we will never get anywhere. Perhaps this would be a good time to get the Dragonborn's input on the matter?"

"By Ysmir's beard! The nerve of those Imperials, eh?" Ulfric said, which had Wyllin's attention turning to him. "To think that I would sit down at a table with that... Thalmor bitch. Either she walks, or I do. What say you?"

She eyed the Altmer. "Jarl Ulfric is right. The Thalmor have no business here. I'm pretty sure General Tullius and Jarl Elisif will be perfectly capable of making sure no violations are made to your  _precious_ Concordat, Lady Ambassador." She then gestured towards the doorway. "If you would please..."

The Thalmor stood up from her seat and sneered at the other side. "Enjoy your petty victory while it lasts, Ulfric." She then turned and made her way out the door. While she hadn't seen it, there was a hint of a smirk that teased the Dragonborn's face as she left. Ulfric clearly wasn't the only one reveling in this 'petty victory'.

Bishop eyed her and then spoke in a low voice. "I guess that takes care of that." She just glanced over at him, the same smile still on her face.

As Ulfric and Galmar sat down, Arngeir assumed it was safe to speak again. "With that out of the way, I hope we can continue. Jarl Ulfric, General Tullius, this counsel is unprecedented. We are gathered here at the request of the Dragonborn. I ask that you do your best to respect the spirit and sanctity of High Hrothgar, and do your best to begin the process of achieving a lasting peace in Skyrim. Now, who would like to open negotiations?"

"Yes, let's get down to it," Ulfric said, and then turned to Tullius. "We want complete control of Markarth. That is our price for agreeing to a truce."

Fucking... What?

As the Ulfric and Tullius bickered, Wyllin rested her head in her hands. Here she was, an outsider who happened to have a crazy voice, putting  _Skyrim_ first and attempting to bring an end to something clearly plaguing both sides, but the men who apparently fought for this icy dump heap couldn't look past their own selfish goals? Ulfric wanted control of the Reach. Tullius spat back and demanded control of the Rift in return. Then talk of compensation? Demands of other holds? She could hardly keep up. Fingers curled up as she clenched her hands into fists, and then she slammed both of them down on the table and she looked up towards the ceiling.  _"YOL."_  Her fiery Thu'um caught the attention of everyone around as it seemed to shake the very foundation of High Hrothgar.

Both men fell quiet as the flames cleared, and then turned towards her, as did everyone else in the room. Arngeir looked slightly unsettled by her using her Voice in such a way, but she didn't pay him any mind. Everyone's attention was on her.

She took a deep breath in and stood up, using her hands to lean against the table in front of her. "By the Divines! Is this all you  _grown men_  know how to do? You bicker like children over land when a threat bigger than any of us looms overhead.  _I'm_ the only one who can stop the World-Eater, and you're wasting  _my_ time." She straightened herself and began pacing around. "Alduin has returned, in case you've forgotten. That big black dragon with an even bigger ego is going to come here and burn down the entire province. Then he'll go to Sovngarde and devour the souls of the ones who made it there,  _should any of you actually do so._ Do you want that to happen? Any of you?" The room was quiet. Everyone stared at her in shock, even Bishop. "No? Good. So, are we going to continue to sit here and argue about territory that will be pointless in the end if Alduin gets his claws on Nirn, or are we going to act like the fucking men - and sole mer - we are supposed to be? I want a  _peaceful_  agreement. No more arguing. Do I make myself clear?" The room remained silent, but both Tullius and Ulfric nodded.

A chuckle from Bishop then broke the quiet atmosphere. "Looks like the  _elf_ in the room has more of an ability to unite this province than any of you  _supposed_  'children of Skyrim' do."

She squinted at him. "Shut up, Bishop." The Bosmer then sat back down and looked around the table. "Well, what are we going to do?"

Tullius cleared his throat. "I think the Dragonborn is right here. We disrespect her and the Greybeards by using this counsel to further our own gains. She brought us here to agree to a truce, and this shouldn't have to happen with the exchange of territory. Perhaps we should ask her about what she believes a fair deal would be."

"I couldn't give two flying shits about the politics of the Great War. I might have made my home in Skyrim and became its world renowned hero, but this still isn't my fight. However..." She thought about it. "Why not hand back any prisoners of war your sides have? This also includes not yet executed Talos worshipers currently in the custody of the Empire, as much as Elenwen may whine about it."

Both Tullius and Ulfric looked to one another. The former scratched the back of his neck while the latter ran his fingers through his hair.

Galmar was the one to try and speak up. "Surely you can't think this is all a peace treaty is w-" He caught the wild look in Wyllin's eye and quieted down. It was as though she was about to turn her Thu'um on him.

"On top of that, you mentioned compensation for a massacre at Karthwasten, General Tullius?"

He nodded. "A pitiful display on the Stormcloaks' side, if you ask me."

 _"Don't_  antagonize them," She hissed lowly. "I feel you should be compensated fairly. Goods and resources the Imperials could not obtain otherwise." Then she turned to Ulfric. "Do you have any requests of the Empire that  _doesn't_ involve the trading of land or breaking of the Thalmor's sacred White-Gold Concordat?"

"What about old Roggvir, hm?" He glared at Tullius. "You ordered the death of a man who simply honored ancient traditions, as any true Nord would. He's not been the first and will not be last, either. You Imperial dogs make examples of anyone who dares to speak out against you."

"Do you have a point, Ulfric?" Rikke asked.

"The Empire loves their damned lists, don't they? Surely you have one of all those you executed in the name of this war somewhere. I want any remaining family members they might have compensated for their losses. They were true sons and daughters of Skyrim, and deserve to be honored, even if the money cannot make up for the loss of one of our own."

Wyllin nodded. "That sounds fair. Tullius, what say you?"

"I suppose this is as fair of a deal as we're going to get in this meeting... Elisif?"

She frowned. "I don't like the idea of owing the Stormcloaks anything, especially after my husband's death at the hand of that  _murderer_ , but I agree. Solitude will personally see that the families of those who lost a loved one will be compensated."

Arngeir nodded. "Then it's settled. Dragonborn, would you mind sharing the terms of this temporary peace treaty?"

"Until Alduin is dead, both sides are to remain in their respective territories and not engage in combat with the other, and both sides are to leave Whiterun alone while Balgruuf aids me with my plans. No new prisoners may be taken by either side during this time as well, Talos worshiper or otherwise." She then leaned forward and glared menacingly around the room. "And, so help me  _Gods_ , if any of you decide to go back on this before the dragons are dealt with,  _Alduin won't be the only being with a dragon soul you'll have to worry about._ "

"Nice touch," Bishop muttered under his breath, which had Wyllin nudging him. Though she did flash a smirk towards him as well.

"Do both sides understand the terms of this agreement?" Arngeir asked. Once both Tullius and Ulfric said they did, he clasped his hands together. "Then I believe this counsel has finally come to an end. The Greybeards thank you for taking the time to travel here and attend."

After he said that, Wyllin stood up and headed over to Balgruuf. "There. Now that the treaty is agreed upon, will you help me with my plan?"

"Of course, Dragonborn. You continue to do great deeds for my city. Dragonsreach is at your disposal. The question now is, how do you plan to lure a dragon to Whiterun in the first place?"

Shit. She hadn't actually thought about that. Luckily, the Blades seemed to have also been at work while she was gathering the counsel.

"I believe I could be of use here," Esbern chimed in. He then walked over with a scroll in his hand. "It would appear that the ancient Blades documented all of the dragons they had killed during their time in Skyrim. I cross referenced them with the map of dragon burials you got for Delphine a while back and found the name of a dragon who could be of use."

"Okay, so how does this help me at all?"

He chuckled at her question. "All dragon names are comprised of three Words of Powers. They're Shouts. You can summon him with your Thu'um."

"And why would he listen?"

"Well, he's not compelled to come, but dragons are prideful by nature, and never back down from a challenge. On top of that, your Voice in particular might be especially intriguing to him. What dragon worth his own scales would decline a chance to face off against his greatest enemy?"

"Fair point. So, what's this dragon's name?"

"Well, I'm no master of the dragon tongue, as these worthy gentlemen are." He gestured towards the Greybeards, who were still scattered across the slowly emptying room. "But I know a fair amount. Here it is." A bony finger ran across a name written in the language of the dragons. "Od-Ah-Viing. Winged snow hunter as I read it."

Her eyes gazed upon the name on the scroll, and suddenly she felt the familiar sensation of taking in a Word of power. There was no visions of snow or hunting, however. Instead, there were images of a massive dragon with immaculate scales of copper red and charcoal grey flashing through her mind. He soared through the skies on mighty wings and called forth powerful blizzards with his Thu'um. The innate ability to call upon her half-kin already had the Shout that made up his name unlocked within her, ready to be used at a moment's notice. Her eyes fluttered open, and then she came back to reality and looked around. "Right then, I think I can do this."

"Good. I will see you at Whiterun whenever you are ready, Dragonborn." With that, Balgruuf exited with Tullius, Rikke, and Elisif. With the Greybeards leaving as well, the only ones who remained were her, Bishop, and the two Blades. One of which seemed to have something on her mind.

As Wyllin was about to leave, Delphine stopped her. "Dragonborn, I need to speak with you about something."

She tilted her head at the Breton. "What is it?"

"We know about the Greybeards' leader, Paarthurnax."

Why did she not like where this was undoubtedly going to be headed? "Yes. Turns out he's a dragon. He's helped me though."

"Yes, he has. We needed his help. Now we don't, and it's long past time for him to pay for his crimes."

"What? Delphine, all dragons have done bad things, but he's tried to-"

"You don't know anything about him, do you? Paarthurnax is not just  _any_ dragon. He was the right hand of Alduin himself. He's committed unspeakable atrocities to mankind. Infamous enough that they've been remembered for thousands of years."

"But he betrayed Alduin. He helped the Nords!"

"And that makes him worse. A turncoat dragon? What makes you think he won't get the bright idea to join Alduin once more?"

Wyllin groaned. "Delphine, please-"

"He needs to die. He  _deserves_  to die. It falls on you to kill him, and until you do... Well, I'm sorry, but we would dishonor our oaths as Blades if we continued to help you." She didn't let her get another word in before she beckoned Esbern to follow her. The old Nord gave the Dragonborn a solemn look, before turning and heading off with Delphine.

The elf's hands clenched into fists, nails digging painfully into her palms, though she was too angered by the words of the Blade to notice. "Of all the stubborn, pig-headed, narrow-minded... Ugh! She's lucky I don't shout her off a cliff for speaking to me like that!"

"Easy now, dragon lady," Bishop said. "We don't need to have you bringing this temple down in a fit of rage. I don't think a Companion's salary would be enough to cover repairs."

"Now's not the time for joking, Ranger. I just... I need some time to think. Come on, we should get to Whiterun."

* * *

 

A majority of the trip back was in silence, with Wyllin stewing over what happened at the peace counsel. The men who apparently fought for this land couldn't see how a threat like Alduin was more important than their war? Even if they had come to an agreement, she was still beyond pissed at how it all went down. On top of that, she wasn't even sure if it was worth it. For all she knew, Odahviing could be no help whatsoever to her.

"You really should get your mind off of what happened back there," Bishop said, snapping her back to reality.

She turned to look at him. "What?"

"Don't think I'm stupid. I know you too well now." He sighed at her. "You've been thinking about that counsel with those idiots who don't know how to get along. It's not that hard to tell. Just be glad you were able to scare the piss out of 'em with your Voice and had them agree to this truce or whatever you want to call it."

 _"Evgir Unslaad,"_  Wyllin murmured.

"What?"

"Season unending. It's the old Nordic term for war. Arngeir told me it."

"And your point is..?"

She hugged her arms together as she continued to walk. "No matter what I do, this fighting won't end. Soon enough, Ulfric and Tullius are going to be back at it and Skyrim's going to be at war all over again."

"Wyllin, this isn't your war to fight. You know that. Let those petty bastards fight each other until the end of time. You already have enough to deal with." The words did little to comfort here, and he could see that. He put a hand on her shoulder to stop her, and then turned her to face him. The next thing she knew, he'd pulled her into a hug.

She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. A smile played at her lips as he combed his fingers through her hair. Briefly, her mind ventured back to when they rescued that family. The mother had called the two of them a couple. Could that really..? She pulled back and looked up at the Nord. "Bishop?"

"Yes?"

"I think I..." She stopped herself and her lips pressed themselves into a hard line. What was she even  _thinking?_ He was far from the romantic type. There wasn't a chance in Oblivion that he'd feel that way. Not towards anyone, even her. She'd just make a fool out of herself.

"You think what..?"

She pushed away from him and turned around. "No, it's not important. We should keep going. It's getting dark." Her arms went back to their former position as she continued on. A war was brewing inside her soul. One side wanted to confess everything, but the other felt it was pointless. She already had enough to deal with. She didn't need emotions clouding her thoughts. Instead, she just violently shoved them to the back of her mind as she walked.

He gave her a confused look. What was that all about? Chances were she wouldn't talk to him about it, so it was probably better to not push the matter. He just followed behind her in silence again. 

They eventually reached the tavern and headed inside. By that point, the majority of the drunken rabble had headed off. A bard sat and strummed at his lute and a few patrons still sat quietly and drank. Wyllin had eaten only a few scraps of her meal before she decided to call it a night. A room was rented and she headed off to it. She was already asleep by the time Bishop had finished. He simply undressed and got in bed with her. The moment his arm was around her, she turned in her sleep to face him and buried her head into his chest. He drifted off soon after.

* * *

 

He awoke the next morning to find her already up and doing what she did best. Given how close she was to facing off against Alduin again, he wasn't even surprised that she was hard at work with her arrows. A good amount of them sat by her side. As he was examining them, he noticed something.

"They're made from dragonbone."

She jolted a little and turned towards him. "Shit. You scared me."

"Sorry, princess. Anyway..?"

She took a breath and then nodded. "I collected a few from the dragon we fought on the way to Windhelm. I always wanted to try and make arrows out of this stuff, but it seemed so daunting. That token I made you gave me some experience with it though, and I think I've got it down."

He moved further down the bed and picked up one of the arrows to look at it. "Seems like it. What's even the difference between the two?"

"These ones are tougher to carve, but not impossible. They're a lot more durable than normal bone, and might even be good for other weapons. I'll have to ask Eorlund if he'll let me try my hand at making something with these and Skyforge Steel. You know, the blades on my daggers are actually made of that."

"Really? Explains how they survived against what you did to that centurion back in Alftand. Even I've heard about the legendary 'best steel in all of Tamriel'."

She chuckled. "Yeah, they really like to talk that stuff up. For good reason though. My daggers have never let me down. I actually showed Eorlund a thing or two when I carved the handles from mammoth bone." She began to attach the arrowhead to a shaft. "Anyway, I think I have enough for the both of us, at least for the coming battle."

"You really work fast at these things."

"I've been doing this stuff for a good eighteen years now, Ranger."

"Eighteen? How old even are you?"

"Right, I've never told you that. Actually, I'm thirty-three."

He tilted his head at her. "Really? You look younger than I am."

"I get that a lot. Perhaps it's due to elven longevity, even if Bosmeri lives are much shorter than that of Dunmer or Altmer. If I had to guess for you... Mid-twenties?"

"Twenty-seven."

"Eh, I was close." She sat the finished arrow down and began packing her things up. "Anyway, we should eat and then get over to Dragonsreach. I just want to get this done and over with at this point."

"Fair enough. Let's go then."

They headed into the Jarl's palace after preparing themselves and eating. Wyllin had at least gotten her appetite back from the previous night. What happened on the road was still fresh in the Ranger's mind, but he was still on edge about asking her. She seemed stressed by it all, and that was the last thing she needed to feel during this specific encounter.

"You're ready then?" Balgruuf asked as Wyllin and Bishop approached him by the door to the Dragonsreach balcony.

"Yes, let's get this over with."

"Very well. Let's go then." He stepped out to the balcony. Several others were there, including his Housecarl Irileth and a few guards. They all stood ready for battle.

Wyllin moved to the edge of the balcony and looked out into the plains of the hold. After turning back one final time to check on everyone, she looked to the sky and called out to the dragon.  _"OD-AH-VIING!"_   Her Thu'um bellowed into the clouds above. The telltale sound of a dragon was heard not long after. Immediately, the elf backed up and drew her bow.

Balgruuf spoke up to the others. "Remember, don't kill the thing. The Dragonborn wants him alive. Lure him in and trap him."

There were a few murmurs of uncertainty among the guards, but Irileth huffed and glared at them. "I thought we hired men for the guard, not cowards. Come on, we have a dragon to take down a few notches." As she said that, the dragon flew by and grabbed one of the guards who was unfortunate enough to stand too close to the edge of the balcony. He was dropped to his death soon after.

Then the mighty voice of Odahviing was heard. " _Dovahkiin!_  I have heard your  _Thu'um_  and have come to taste it for myself.  _Grind zu'u ko grah!_ " He hovered above the group, dark eyes trained only on the elf who summoned him.

Immediately, she took the opportunity to ground him.  _"JOOR ZAH FRUL."_ The dragon roared in anguish as he just barely landed on the balcony. Then she took aim and fired into his snout. He snarled and began following her as she slowly moved backwards. Others had followed her lead, with Bishop standing right beside her. He released blizzards out onto them, but everyone managed to get out of the way without feeling so much as a tingle of the chill against their skin. There were simply too many of them for the dragon to keep track of, not that he'd be able to down any of them anyway. The moment he got in just the right position, the trap was sprung, and he was caught in a dragon-sized pillory.

Once she was sure everything was safe, Wyllin approached him, eyeing the dragon skeptically. Though her tone of voice was calm and commanding. "Odahviing."

He looked up at her. " _Zu'u bonaar._  You went to a great deal of trouble to put me in this humiliating position.  _Hind siiv_  Alduin, hmm? No doubt you want to know where to find Alduin?"

"That's exactly what I want. Where's that bastard hiding?"

The dragon chuckled. "An apt phrase,  _Dovahkiin._ Alduin  _bovul._ Your demonstration of your Voice back at the  _Monahven_ has him worried about you. It is one of the reasons I came here to test it for myself. Many of the  _dov_ have begun to question Alduin's lordship, whether his  _Thu'um_ is truly the strongest... Among ourselves, of course.  _Mu ni meyye_. None of us were ready to openly defy him."

"You were telling me where to find Alduin?"

" _Unslaad krosis_. Innumerable pardons. I digress. He has traveled to Sovngarde to regain his strength after your battle with him. As we speak, he devours the  _sillesejoor_ , the souls of the mortal dead. His door to Sovngarde is in Skuldafn, one of his ancient fanes in the mountains. Surely I do not need to warn you that his remaining strength is marshaled there. It will not be an easy feat to overcome.  _Zu'u lost ofan hin laan_. I have given you the answer you desired. Now, will you let me go free?"

She pressed her lips into a hard line. Something felt off. "There's something you're not telling me. How exactly do I  _get_ to this Skuldafn."

He paused. "Hmm... Yes...  _Krosis._ I neglected to mention one tiny detail... Let me put it to you this way,  _Dovahkiin,_ you may have the soul of a dragon, but that is not enough. Without the wings of one, you will never set foot into Skuldafn."

"So I can't get there unless I can fly?"

"Exactly. Of course, I  _could_ take you there myself, but not while imprisoned like this. If you let me free, I promise to carry you safely to Skuldafn. Us  _dov_ are eager to know how this battle unfolds."

"I'll think about your offer."

 _"Hi lost tiid._  I'm not going anywhere." Those last words were spoken with a slight hint of ire behind them.

When she turned away from Odahviing, she was met with a very pissed off looking Bishop. Immediately, she was concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Are you  _crazy,_ Wyllin? You can't seriously be thinking about jumping on the back of this winged lizard!"

"You heard him, Bishop. This might be the only way I can get to Skuldafn! I need to do this!"

"No you don't! How many times do I have to tell you that you don't owe this world anything!"

"This isn't just about the world. I have a purpose, and the road it's led me down brought me here. I'm not going to back down now that I'm  _this_ close!"

"Gods, you're more than crazy. You are  _absolutely fucking insane._  Listen, I'm  _not_ going to be sticking out my neck for you this time. I've faced off against so much shit with you, but no. I'm not about ready to hop on a dragon and fly off to Sovngarde."

"Bishop, please-"

"And If I do, then what's next, Wyllin? The planes of Oblivion? Fucking Aetherius itself? No, fuck this. I'm done. Go play hero at someone else's expense. I'm done being dragged through every danger imaginable by you. You're on your own from now on."

Those final words had her heart drop. "Wait!"

He didn't bother. Instead, he just gestured for Karnwyr to follow him, and the two headed back into the palace. The Bosmer stood there for a long time, fists clenched and shaking. She looked like she was on the verge of crying, but then growled and shook the tears away. Afterwards, she commanded the guards to release Odahviing. Fine, if he wanted to be a petty bastard, then she could do just fine herself. She followed as the dragon made his way back towards the edge of the balcony.

 _"Saraan uth_  - I await your command, as promised. Are you ready to see the world as only a  _dovah_  can?"

She steeled herself, and then nodded. "I'm ready. Take me to Skuldafn."

 _"Zok brit uth!_  I warn you, once you've flown the skies of  _Keizaal_ , you envy of the  _dov_ will only increase." He lowered his head and she climbed onto him, gripping tightly at his horns once she settled down.

"Let's just go."

With those words, he took off.  _"Amativ! Mu bo kotin stinselak."_

The flight was definitely exhilarating. Her long hair flowed behind her as she tried to keep her grip on the flying dragon. Despite the anger still bubbling in the pit of her stomach over Bishop's outbreak, she couldn't help but be amazed by everything around her. They practically touched the clouds. When they landed, she got off and looked around, though Odahviing's voice soon had her turning back to him.

"This is as far as I can take you.  _Krif voth ahkrin_. I will look for your return, or Alduin's."

She nodded, and then watched him fly off. Then her attention was back on Skuldafn. She could see plenty of enemies from where she was standing already. Her focus then went to the ring on her hand. She reached for it, and turned it around slowly.

No, pull yourself together, Springlock. Worry about that Nord bastard later.

She blinked away the tears forming and took out her bow. Eyes narrowed on one of the draugr before her, and then she loosed an arrow onto it, striking it off the platform it'd be standing on. It was time to end this.


	19. A Warrior's Heart

It was a long battle. One of the only things that kept her going was her Restoration magic abilities. Even then, it was tough. The dragons that soon caught sight of her didn't help, but she struck down each one without hesitation and took their souls. Then there was the temple. Stupid ancient Nords and their stupid puzzles. They were hilariously easy, but still annoying nonetheless. Once they were out of the way, she approached a Word Wall.

Visions of massive, thundering storms overtook her mind. Rain poured around her and lightning flashed above. It filled her with a newfound energy, as though electricity surged through her veins. She didn't bother contemplating on the Word after to unlock it. There was too much going on for that. Instead, she pushed on with that electricity charging her bones. 

What was next? A Dragon Priest? Nothing special. He was downed after giving her a little bit of trouble with his lightning spells, and she gladly took his mask as a little prize. His staff was picked up as well and then placed back on the pedestal that'd open up Sovngarde. The portal was daunting to just look at, but she knew she had to enter. A deep breath was taken as she descended the steps, and then she jumped in.

... Fuck, her vision was foggy. She nearly collapsed on the ground. Then a familiar voice called out to her.

"Wyllin?"

She looked ahead of her to see Kodlak approaching. Her eyes widened, and then she dashed over to him. "Kodlak! You're still here! He hasn't gotten to you then, thank the Gods!"

He frowned. "No, it can't be your time, can it?"

"Not even close," She laughed. "So much has happened in Skyrim after you passed. I've... Found out so many things about myself. It's crazy, but I don't have time to explain. Where's Alduin?"

Kodlak was taken aback by her question. "You seek to hunt the World-Eater himself? You've grown much since my time on Nirn, young Harbinger." He then turned to the fog behind him. "He's covered Sovngarde with mist. No one can get through, and new souls in this realm are being devoured with each passing minute. If you truly seek to defeat him, then you best go soon. Please, hurry."

"Thank you, Kodlak. I can take care of the mist." He gave her a confused look and watched as she focused on it. Then she called forth her Thu'um.  _"LOK VAH KOOR."_ It cleared everywhere the shout touched, uncovering the path before her.

From behind her, the former Harbinger looked surprised. She could Shout? When did she pick that ability up? And how? Then the puzzle pieces finally clicked into place. There was a reason why she was seeking Alduin. "Well, it was an honor fighting alongside you in my time, Dragonborn."

The elf looked back and smiled, and then continued to clear our the mist covering the land. Along the way, she met others, who she comforted with the knowledge of being there to take down Alduin as she went. The entrance to the Hall of Valor soon came into view. It was unmistakable. A man who introduced himself as Tsun stopped her by the start of the bridge and asked of her intentions. She could tell he was relieved when she spoke of being there to destroy Alduin. After a brief battle to prove her worth, he allowed her inside.

Then she was stopped by someone she never expected to see. Of course he'd be there. "Ysgramor."

"That I am, Harbinger," He offered her a grin. "Welcome to the hall. We've awaited your arrival, and three heroes now await your command. Gormlaith the Fearless, Hakon the Valiant, and Felldir the Old." Those names definitely rung a bell. She remembered them from her vision from the Elder Scroll, but didn't have much time to think about that. "Go now, Dragonborn, and fight valiantly against the World-Eater. Do it for the sake of Tamriel, and the sake of Kodlak. I know you will not fail him."

"It was an honor to meet you, Ysgramor," Damn, the Companions back in Jorrvaskr really weren't going to believe this.

"The honor is mine."

She smiled, and then made her way through the Hall. Eventually, she came across the three that Ysgramor spoke of. They were eager to meet her. After a brief conversation, she followed them out into the mist once more.

Alduin proved to be as tough in Sovngarde as he was back at the Throat of the World. Stronger even, given his recent feast on souls. Still, she was keen on bringing him down. After clearing up his mist and forcing his hand, she immediately began to do just that. Dragonrend. He fell to the ground. Two of the heroes who accompanied her distracted him, which frustrated the World-Eater to no end. In the meantime, she carefully lined up each of her shots, striking him dead on nearly every time. He lashed out against her with fire, missing more times than he managed to hit. However, the last attempt proved successful at striking her leg. The pain had her crying out and she dropped her weapon and fell to the ground.

He capitalized on the opportunity, and quickly bounded towards her, knocking his attackers out of the way. The Nord heroes were nothing compared to the prize of the Dragonborn's soul and his prideful nature had him refusing to miss out on the chance. He had the elf under his vicious claw for just a brief moment, but was stunned when she hit him with the first Word of Dragonrend. He quickly backed up and then growled, trying to snap at her as she returned to her feet. When that attempt was made, him getting struck with an arrow from Gormlaith forced him back once more.

The pain from the burn stung, but she tried to ignore it and focus on the battle. She needed to. Healing it wasn't an option at that point, so she instead opted for bolstering her abilities with her Alteration spell. It gave her just enough energy to numb the pain to a bearable degree. With that, she took out her daggers and then charged towards the recovering World-Eater. She lashed out against him with her blades, deflecting each attack he made at her with his bite. When she was given enough of an opening, she gladly took it. 

A blade was sunk into his neck. She then used that to lift herself up. One foot kicked off his shoulder. Then, before he knew it, she was on top of his head. The dagger in her left hand was sheathed so she could hold onto his horn as he struggled to get her off of him. She then drove her unsheathed blade into his eye, causing him to roar in pain. Another strike was made soon after. Then she swung herself around and cut a line down the entirety of his neck as she got her feet back on the ground. Then she backed up and widened her eyes at the sight that started to go down before her.

Alduin shouted out in dragon speech as his body began to literally tear itself apart, but this was not in any way Wyllin had seen before. The pieces then began to rise up into the air, traveling to Aetherius above. Something was off, though. His soul seemed to vanish with it, instead of going to her. The thought was worrying, but she couldn't focus on it for too long. Everyone began to crowd around her and cheer.

"So, you've done it," Tsun said as she tended to her leg. The Atmoran's words had her looking up at him. "You've vanquished the World-Eater, and saved Nirn. Songs of your victory shall be sung in the Hall of Valor for ages to come, but it is not your time to join us. When you're ready, I will return you to Skyrim, with a token from Shor himself to prove what you've done here."

She smiled and stood up, but then looked over to Kodlak, who was among the cheering souls. "I'll happily return there soon, but..."

"Of course. Speak with him."

Kodlak was surprised when the elf practically knocked him off of his feet with her hug. "Woah, easy now."

She looked back at him with watered eyes. "By the Divines, I've missed you. It's only been months, but it feels like it's been ages."

He gave her a quiet chuckle and patted her on the head. "I know. Wandering in this mist has given me much time to think of my time on Nirn, and how I miss the company of the Companions. Tell me, now that we have time to talk, how goes things back in Jorrvaskr, little wolf?"

She sniffled and then wiped away a tear that was falling down her cheek. "So many things have happened. I hope I can tell you it all." She spoke of her journeys throughout Skyrim, the adventures she had with the Companions, and how she found out she was Dragonborn. Kodlak stood there and listened, happy to see the light that filled her eyes. Then, that light began to dull. "And... I met someone along the way."

"Someone?"

"We've journeyed together for a while, and he's helped me through a lot. Then, when I finally found a way to get here, he said it was crazy and tried to stop me. When I wouldn't back down, he... Abandoned me."

He placed a hand on her should. "Sometimes we all do foolish things in times of great distress, especially when it involves those we care for. Remember how Aela was when Skjor passed? Her actions could've killed her. I sense something between the two of you with how this is affecting you. Seek him out, Wyllin, and make him see reason."

She managed a smile and hugged him again. "Thank you so much, Kodlak. I'll miss you."

"We'll meet again someday, little wolf. Now, you must return to Nirn. Live out the rest of your days honorably, as any Dragonborn would."

"Farewell." She turned and headed back towards Tsun. Once she took a deep breath in and steeled herself, she looked up at him. "I'm ready to return to Nirn."

"Return now to the mortal realm, and take this rich boon from Shor, my lord. It's a Shout to aid you and your allies when you're in need."

Familiar wisps of light surrounded her and her eyes closed. She could feel the Words of the shout burning within her mind. The meaning of them consumed her thoughts, empowering her in the same way the Shout will likely empower those she fights with. When she opened her eyes, the light was gone. "Thank you."

Tsun nodded.  _"NAHL DAAL VUS!"_

Winds swirled around her and her vision blurred. When she was sent back to Nirn, she found herself at the Throat of the World. Around her, former followers of Alduin chanted about her victory against him. She watched as they did so, and then began to fly about overhead. Typically, the thought of so many dragons surrounding her sounded like something out of a nightmare, but this was different. Her victory had reached back home, striking something within the hearts of her enemies, and she took comfort in that. Once they were finished, a voice spoke out from behind her, and she turned to see a familiar grey dragon perched atop the Word Wall.

"So, it is done.  _Alduin dilon._  The Eldest is no more, he who came before all others, and has always been."

She frowned at his tone of voice. He mourned, and maybe she could understand. "You don't sound happy about this."

"Happy? No. I cannot be.  _Zeymahi lost ont du'ol Barmahu._ He was once the crown jewel of our father's creation. You did what was necessary for the sake of this world. Alduin had flown away from the right path a long time ago. He tried to take for himself the lordship that rightfully belonged to our father, Akatosh.  _Dinokii lost daan._  His defeat was necessary."

"I do not regret this. He brought it upon himself."

"Of course he did. I would have not helped you if that were not the case,  _Dovahkiin_."

"I was just fulfilling my destiny as Dragonborn."

The dragon let out a half hearted laugh. "Indeed. You saw your destiny more clearly than I - certainly more clearly than Alduin. Perhaps this has granted you insight into the currents of time, and now you will begin to see the world as the  _dov_ do."

"We'll just have to see."

"But I forget myself,  _Dovahkiin. Krosis._  Melancholy is an easy trap for an old  _dovah_ to fall into.  _So los mid fahdon._ You have won a mighty victory, and the others see it. It will echo throughout the ages for all those who have eyes to see. Savor this triumph."

"Yes, of course... But there is one other thing..."

"You do seem troubled. What is it you want to ask about,  _dii fahdon?"_

"When Alduin died, I didn't absorb his soul like I do with other dragons. What if..."

"What if he is not truly gone?"

"Exactly."

"Hmm. There is no true answer to this question. Alduin is unique, even among the  _dov._ What may have happened to his soul is hard to say. Perhaps  _bormahu,_ our father Akatosh, took it for himself? Or maybe his destiny is truly not over? Regardless, I would not let this trouble you. You've done what you could, and this world is safe for now. Remember this, and don't fall into the trap of uncertainty and indecision, as so many of the  _dov_ do."

"I suppose you're right. Thank you, Paarthurnax."

After the conversation, the grey dragon pledged to get the remaining dragons under his control and teach them the Way of the Voice. As he said that, Wyllin couldn't help but think back to what Delphine had said about them, and the anger it had her feel. Paarthurnax was reformed, regardless of what he'd done in the past. There wasn't a chance in Oblivion that she'd turn her bow on him.

As one of her dragon allies flew off, another landed. "Well done,  _Dovahkiin._ Alduin is defeated, and you've returned from Sovngarde. Now that you have vanquished him, I feel no shame of my own defeat at your hands. Truly your Thu'um is the strongest. I gladly acknowledge its power. Should you require my assistance, you have but to call upon me,  _thuri_."

The words had her smiling, and then she thought back to Dragonsreach. A glance towards the ring on her finger had her sighing. "Well, Odahviing, there is something you can do for me. I need you to take me somewhere."

"Hmm.  _Hi yah Bron._  No doubt you seek the Nord you were with when we met. I do not understand the affections you  _joorre_ have for one another, but I will be happy to take you to him if you know where he is."

"Yes, I have an idea of where he's at. Come on, it's not far."

* * *

 

"Get me another one, Orgnar, I plan on drinking this place dry tonight," Bishop grumbled as he stared into his empty tankard, which was soon refilled by the bartender. Damn elf. How did he manage to get himself so tangled up in her? He knew it'd be dangerous. Yet here he was drinking his sorrows away. On top of his already soured mood, he could see some wench looking at him from out of the corner of his eye. Neeshka the Second? Fuck if he knew. He didn't even care. What did catch his attention was commotion coming from outside? A dragon? Guards shouting? Did she fail? Was... Was she..? Actually, he didn't want to know. If the world was going to die, then so be it. Maybe he'd be able to strangle her in the afterlife. Or Alduin's gut. Whichever.

That's when someone stumbled through the door. She had a pretty damn good hunch that no matter how many times she'd ride on a dragon, she'd  _never_ get used to it, but that hardly mattered. Her attention was focused on that  _gods forsaken Nord._ She stared at the back of his head as she approached the bar. Her arms then crossed themselves over her chest once she stopped. "Alduin's dead and we  _need_ to talk."

He practically spit out his mead and looked at her. "What?! You're..?" He groaned. "Oh, look at you, waltzing back in here like you own the damned place. Come here to... To mock us  _lessers_ now that you're some legend?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" He scoffed. "No. That's not the question you should be asking here. So now you're this... Almighty dragon slaying hero. You killed that World-Eater guy and saved the entirety of Nirn. Now all these shitheads have... Have even more of a reason to grovel at your fe-"

She cut him off with a growl. "Get to the point."

"Oh fuck off! Don't you have a... A throne or some shit to sit on now?"

_"Excuse me?"_

"You heard me."

"And here you call  _me_ childish. Ugh! I just want to talk to you."

"Talk to me?  _To me?_ What fucking incentive do you get out of that? As if you even need me around anyway. Maybe you did once, y'know, back when we were  _equals._ I mean, sure. You... You had a freaky voice, and the whole dragon soul absorbing thing was kinda weird... And that thing you did when you learned Words or whatever... Fuck, that doesn't matter. Now you're the world's savior. So what in  _Oblivion_ does that make you now?"

She clenched her hands into fists. "You want to know what I am?"

"Oh please,  _princess,_ do tell."

"I'm pissed! I'm so fucking  _pissed_  at you for leaving me like that back there like that! Gods, I could just... Just  _strangle_  you here and now for your petty-ass outburst!"

"Go right on ahead, see if I care," He rolled his eyes. "Why are you even here?"

"Take a guess. Here's a hint: I'm standing right in front of my reason! Look, I'm alive and well. Isn't that enough for you?"

He belted out a drunken, sarcastic laugh. "Is it enough for  _you,_  though?You're everyone's hero now. The word's gonna... Gonna fucking spread like wildfire once everyone knows the almighty savior of Nirn has returned! Then you're gonna go riiiiight on ahead and run off again the moment someone cries for your help, because that's just 'what you do', yeah? Well fuck  _that._ I'm not putting up with it anymore." He took a sip from his mug.

She knocked his drink out of his hand, and then slapped him hard across the face before he could respond. Despite doing that, her voice was scarily even. "You want to know the reason why I decided to find you, Bishop?"

He rubbed at his cheek and glared at her. "Why?"

"I spent  _so_ long thinking about how I wanted to say everything, but then I realized I shouldn't fluff up words with you. So I'll just say this: it  _ripped_ me apart inside when you left me back there. You want to know why?" Her lower lip trembled and tears began to stream down her face. "Because I'm  _in love_ with you."

Her words had his eyes widen. "Wyllin... I-" He wasn't given the chance to respond.

"But now I see that I'm just not worth the trouble for you. Maybe I just never was and you only tagged along because you wanted..." She groaned. "Just go find some other  _safer_  woman to woo instead. I'm done." She took off his ring from her finger and sat it in front of him on the bartop. Then she turned around and walked off.

The stunned Ranger just sat there for a moment, unable to process what had happened. He picked up the ring and looked at it, and then suddenly the realization set in.  _Fuck._  He stood up and immediately bolted after her. "Wait! I..." He couldn't believe what he saw when he got out there. Was she standing next to that dragon from the palace balcony?

"Piss off, Ranger. I don't need your shit anymore."

"No! Listen, please!" He ran off the inn's porch and towards her. "Wyllin-"

_"Get lost!"_ She hissed. "Odahviing, please..."

The dragon looked at Bishop.  _"Unslaad krosis, goraan Bron._ I must do as  _thuri_ commands." He turned and flung his tail, knocking the Ranger off his feet and into the nearby river. As he came back up to the surface and was getting back on solid ground, Odahviing launched himself into the air with Wyllin on his back. The dragon flew off and a bunch of the Riverwood villagers looked at one another once he was out of view. None of them believed what they just saw, and Bishop couldn't believe what he'd just  _done._

* * *

 

"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Dragonborn?" Balgruuf asked. He'd been waiting on Wyllin's return, and was somewhat surprised when she showed up again on that dragon. Aela, Vilkas, and Farkas stood with him.

"I need a break from Skyrim for a while. I'll just be going to visit family in Valenwood. Maybe stop at Skingrad in Cyrodiil along the way to check up on people i know there. I don't know. I was planning all of this for a while though."

Aela gave her a curious look. "And what of that Nord that follows you around like a lost pup?"

The elf tensed up at the mentioning of him, but took a deep breath and tried to relax herself soon after. "He's not important. I just need to get away from everything for right now. I trust the Circle can handle everything in my absence?"

"You can count on us, Shield-Sister," Vilkas responded. "You're welcome back in our hall at any time."

"Thank you." She hugged each of the three.

When she pulled back from Farkas, he spoke to her. "Before you go though, you said you went to Sovngarde?"

"Yes."

"Did you see Kodlak?"

She smiled. "He was there. I spoke to him. I told him everything that's been happening since he was gone and lost in the World-Eater's mist. He's so proud of you guys."

"And undoubtedly proud of you as well, miss  _Dragonborn_." Aela smirked.

Wyllin chuckled at her comment. "Well, I should be going now. I have a long trip, and Odahviing has only agreed to carry me to the border of Skyrim. I'll be back maybe in a few months time."

"Safe travels," Balgruuf told her. "May the Gods watch over you, Thane."

She said her goodbyes and then hopped back onto Odahviing. With that, he took back off and headed towards the border to Cyrodiil. The Companions headed back to Jorrvaskr after. Aela had decided to practice her archery for a while and then stopped by the Bannered Mare to eat for a change. By the time she was finally heading back to the mead hall for rest, the sun had turned the sky shades of crimson, pink, and purple as it was setting. When she heard someone call out to her, however, she turned around.

A disgruntled Nord in dark armor approached her. He looked the Companion dead in the eyes. "Wyllin. Where is she?"

Aela immediately caught on to what was happening and crossed her arms. "Long gone. Jumped onto the back of a dragon and took off to a completely different province. I suggest you forget any ideas you have about chasing after her as well. She was mighty damn keen on leaving everything having to do with Skyrim behind for a good while."

"Gods damnit, that stubborn woman." He put his face in his hand and groaned. "I just... I need to talk to her... To tell her how I fucked up."

"Well, you're welcome to stick around and wait for her return. Just keep the hell away from Jorrvaskr, Ranger." She then turned around and briskly walked off towards the entrance to the mead hall, leaving Bishop behind with no helpful information to go off of.


	20. Cyrodiil

Odahviing had dropped her off close to the border and then flown off into the mountains. She stood there for a while, just staring at the road ahead of her. She eventually sighed and began to make her way through it. The Imperials at the entrance had given her a bit of a hassle, but once they realized who she was, they let her through. Then she began her long trek to Bruma. The events of the previous day or so plagued her mind as she went, and that war within her continued to build until it eventually overcame her. It was about midway through Pale Pass when she collapsed to her knees and started to cry.

As this happened, someone on horseback came riding up the road. He was dressed in full plate armor and wore a cloak on his back. He noticed the elf in the middle of the road and that had him halting his steed and dismounting. She hadn't noticed him approaching until he started to speak. "Excuse me, my lady, but I couldn't help but stop when I noticed you. Is something wrong?"

She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face. "I... I'm just. I can't..."

He knelt down in front of her and removed his helmet. A particularly tall and muscular... Breton with eyes the color of steel stared back at her. "It's okay. There's no need to go into detail. Let me help you up." He held out his hand and she reluctantly took it.

"Thank you. It's just... Been a long... Life, I guess." She laughed nervously and she got back to her feet with his help.

"There's no need to thank me. I would dishonor my oath as a Paladin if I passed by someone who could be in need."

She gave him a weak smile as she wiped the tears from her face. "I see. Well, I'll still thank you anyway." Her eyes turned to the road she was traveling down. "I should probably keep going."

"Perhaps you could use someone to accompany you? While you seem capable, I don't feel it's safe to travel alone, especially with talk of dragons about."

His request had her sighing. "I'd feel bad if I kept you from whatever you're journeying to Skyrim for. Besides, we've only just met."

"I've helped many I barely knew, my lady, and my business in Skyrim can wait."

There seemed to be no way of talking him out of accompanying her. She relented. "Can I at least get a name then?"

He gave a polite bow of his head. "Casavir, my lady. Who might you be?"

Should she actually give him her name? What if he'd heard of her? She didn't need someone else falling to their knees before her because they knew of her title. In fact, she'd rather just  _forget_ that she was Dragonborn for a while. Well, there was no turning back. "Wyllin Springlock."

"Wyllin," He repeated. "That name sounds familiar."

She shrugged off the comment as casually as she could. "Must be one of those names. Anyways, if you want to come along with me to Bruma, you can. I'd rather not keep you any longer than there though."

"That's fine." He walked over to his horse and grabbed hold of the reins. "Come on, then."

Wyllin walked side by side with him as he led his horse. Occasionally, they made small talk. When she found out about how he'd been on his way to Solitude before they met, she happily spoke about the city and how to get there. Apparently, he'd never been that far into Skyrim before, and would gladly take all the help he could get. Someone with knowledge of the terrain and customs of the province was definitely more useful than books on the matters. Her tears eventually faded and the puffiness around her eyes retreated. He was a decent enough distraction, even if thoughts of the Ranger still nagged at the back of her mind. She... Didn't want to mention him. Not to someone she hardly knew.

They reached Bruma as the sun was setting. He decided to stick around until morning to assure everything was okay with her. While she still felt on edge with him, his kindness was definitely comforting. They sat in the tavern with a few cups of tea. She'd recommended the one mixed with mountain flowers. The scent and taste were always soothing to her.

"You have good tastes, my lady," He said before raising the cup to his lips.

"Please, call me Wyllin. I'm not fond of formalities."

"As you wish."

She leaned her arms against the table they sat at and fiddled idly with the mug in front of her. She'd become far more quiet since they entered the tavern. Her mind had shifted itself back to Bishop, much to her displeasure. Even when he wasn't around, he managed to invade her thoughts.

"Are you alright over there?" Casavir asked after observing her glaring at the cup in her hands for a few solid minutes. It felt as though the contents in it would start to boil if she stared any harder at it. "Forgive me, I know it's not my place to ask, but is something weighing on your mind?"

More like  _someone,_ but she didn't need to be bringing a stranger into whatever was going on between her and that  _gods forsaken_  Nord. She sighed. "It just hasn't been the easiest past few days. I'd prefer to not get into it with someone I barely know."

"That is understandable, my la- Wyllin. Perhaps there is something you'd like to talk about instead to distract you for the time being?"

She thought about his question for a second. "Sure..." She racked her mind for something to get a conversation going. "How long have you been in Cyrodiil?"

"Most of my life, actually. I was born and raised here. It was only when I dedicated myself to being a Paladin did I actually begin traveling to other provinces."

"That explains how you carry yourself then. Strong, sturdy, noble. I see it a lot in the folks around this province."

"You have a very sharp eye to notice such things about others."

She smiled softly at his compliment. "Thanks. I suppose that's something you develop when you do what I do. Anyways, I guess I was thrown off because I don't know of many Bretons who live around here."

"Ah well, I'm admittedly only half Breton, on my mother's side. My father's an Imperial."

"That actually makes a lot of sense."

"I can imagine. So, you've mentioned gaining your keen eyes because of 'what you do'. What exactly is that?"

_Other_ than slaying dragons? "I'm a born archeress, but I guess that's no surprise coming from a pure-blooded Bosmer who grew up in Valenwood." She laughed awkwardly. "I lend my abilities with my bow to others when they're in need, if I'm able to help. Perhaps I'm not as noble as someone from an order of holy Knights, but I do what I can."

"Anyone who chooses to use their skills in battle to aid those in need, rather than to simply take what they want from them, are noble in their own way. Tamriel could use more like you, Wyllin."

"Aren't you a charmer?" She smirked and took a sip from her mug. Too bad she wasn't fond of boot licking.

"I only speak the truth, ma'am."

"Hmm. I suppose honesty is a virtue. You said you're a Paladin, right?"

"That I am. I'm sworn to uphold an oath of virtue and light. I must keep a pure life and avoid the influences of humanity's more... Primitive desires. I cannot succumb to worldly temptations, as it would dishonor my vows."

"Sounds difficult. I don't know of many who could even attempt to uphold such a way of life."

"It comes with its burdens, but I know I've chosen the right path for myself."

"That kind of certainty is rare in these times. Perhaps the world could use more of your type as well." Those words made his brow furrow. The response had her giving him a curious expression. Said expression didn't last very long however. A very unmistakable noise came from outside. Was she hallucinating? "Did you hear that?"

"Yes. What on Nirn-" He was cut off when a man bolted in screaming about a 'winged beast' flying over the city. The two gave each other concerned glances, sat down their drinks, and immediately bolted towards the door.

The dragon roared again as he flew overhead, releasing his deafening Thu'um into the skies above. Townspeople ran for cover in an attempt to evade the oncoming attack. He soon noticed the elf coming out of the tavern took an interest in her. He hovered above her and Casavir, eyes locked on his target. Wyllin was about to take out her bow, but paused when the Paladin grabbed her arm.

"My lady, with all due respect, I don't think it's safe out here. You should go-"

She ignored his words and escaped his grasp. Her bow was drawn as she dashed up to the beast. "Your kind has no business in Cyrodiil, dragon! Leave now!"

"Spare me your petty threats,  _Dovahkiin._  Wherever you go we shall follow to avenge our rightful  _thur_ Alduin! I shall claim your soul in his name."

"Alduin got what he deserved. The only thing you'll be doing here, dragon, is  _bowing to me!"_ Her voice was stern and demanding, much to the surprise of Casavir. How could this little elf be so unshaken by the presence of such a fearsome beast? Instead she was  _angered_ by it and stood boldly against it.

"Bow to you?  _Mey!_ A mortal with the  _Dovah Sos_  is still a mortal. You're nothing more than a pitiful impostor. The  _dov_ will never willingly bow to you, foolish  _Dovahkiin!"_

"Then I'll make you." With that, she released her Thu'um upon him.  _"JOOR ZAH FRUL."_  Her Voice was heard throughout the city and into the nearby Jerall mountains. The dragon above wailed in agony at the incomprehensible thoughts his mind was filled with. It proved to be too much for him to concentrate and he was forced to land. Her eyes turned to Casavir, who was stunned at the scene before him. "Back me up."

He looked towards. Things finally began to connect, and he nodded. "As you wish, Dragonborn." He put on his helmet and drew the greatsword he carried on his back.

She took aim at the dragon and fired into his snout, then she dashed away from the tavern and into an area not filled with wooden buildings. "If you want my soul so badly, try and take it."

"With pleasure,  _joor._ " He summoned his own Thu'um and fire spewed towards her. She quickly hopped out of the way and sent another arrow at him. It struck close by to the first and he reeled back with a low growl.

"Shred his wings!" Wyllin told Casavir. "My Shout won't keep him grounded forever!" He did as she asked and charged towards the dragon, who attempted to swat him away with his tail. That only led to Casavir cutting into it with his blade and continuing to advance.

Wyllin fired at the dragon again and the arrow lodged itself into his neck. Her attempts at distracting the beast worked just long enough to allow the Paladin to slice into his wing. With it now tattered, the dragon couldn't take to the skies. He snapped at Casavir, causing him to stumble back. Then he bounded towards the Dragonborn. She ducked out of the way, sending him skidding to a halt and turning to face her. Though that was only met with her punching him in the snout with the fist that was clamped down around her bow. He growled and shook off the pain from it. It stunned him just long enough for her to change out her bow for her blades.

The dragon glared down at her, and she stared right back. Smoke started to escape the sides of his mouth, but the moment he tried to release a bolt of fire from his throat, she shot back with her Thu'um.  _"FUS RO DAH."_  Her Unrelenting Force had the dragon clawing at the ground as he was pushed back from her. Casavir took advantage of the situation and cut along the side of the stunned dragon. His injured tail swatted at the Paladin, but he stood his ground that time. He attempted to turn his Thu'um onto the him, but was interrupted yet again by Wyllin.

She latched onto the dragon's neck. Despite his flailing, he couldn't shake her. She crawled up his head and held on tightly to his horns as he tried to shake her off yet again. Another use of Dragonrend forced him to lower his head to the ground. "My Voice was stronger than Alduin's when I faced him in Sovngarde. I defeated him and banished his soul to Aetherius. If you don't bow to my superiority, I'll kill you and take your soul as a prize."

Her words had the dragon thinking carefully. "Very well,  _Dovahkiin._ You have proven your worth. I see now why Odahviing  _mid_   _aam hi_ , serves you loyally. I will recognize your lordship and bow to the power of your  _Thu'um_."

She hopped off of him and looked him in the eyes. "Tell me your name so I may call upon you as I wish."

_"Hin hind uthi, thuri."_  With that, he stepped back and released a stream of fire on the ground by her feet. Three Words appeared before her. " _Zu'u_  Riinahtoor. Furious inferno spirit, in your tongue."

The Words flooded her mind. Visions of the red, yellow, and grey dragon before her surrounded in a blazing inferno appeared. As he launched himself into the air, he roared to the skies, causing fire to rain from above. As with Odahviing, her natural ability to summon dragons allowed her to call upon him as she wished, without the need to unlock the meaning behind his name. The visions faded and she looked towards the dragon. "Allow me to heal you. Afterwards, you are to return to Skyrim to await my command." He did as she asked and took off when his wing was fixed. She then looked around at all of the villagers, who whispered to each other about what had just happened. She only picked up on a few words, but the phrase 'tamed a dragon' was used frequently.

"My lady, that was... Astonishing." Casavir's voice had her turning to him. "Have you ever done that before?"

"Once, with a dragon named Odahviing. Riinahtoor mentioned him. He was the dragon who aided me in finding Alduin."

"These beasts are dangerous. Why would they listen to you?"

She sighed and scratched the back of her head. "How do I even begin to explain it? Dragons have these things called 'Shouts', which is what you saw Riinahtoor and I use against each other back there as we fought. They use those Shouts to battle one another in deadly verbal debates to prove their superiority. Because of this, they tend to see those with stronger Voices than their own as above them. Alduin was the first born son of Akatosh, and most of his kin saw him as the one with the most powerful Voice. Then I slayed him, proving that I'm stronger than he was. Now they have two choices: accept me as their new ruler or allow their pride to consume them and then die by my hand."

Casavir gave her a dumbfounded expression. "I'm... Not sure if I understand any of that."

"Most don't. Hell, I don't even completely understand it." She shrugged. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. They all follow that strict code, and they will either join me or or be killed by me. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to head back inside and get some rest. It's been a long day." With that, she turned and headed off towards the inn.

The extremely confused Paladin just watched as she walked away.

* * *

Casavir was waiting for her in the tavern area the next morning when she walked into it. He'd cleaned off the dragon blood from the previous day and looked almost immaculate. He was posed thoughtfully at the table he was sitting at, with his one hand holding his chin and the fingers of his other tapping gently against the wooden tabletop. The look in his steel eyes gave away the fact his mind was lost in whatever was on his mind. Eventually, he took notice of the elf staring at him and waved for her to come over. She joined him for breakfast when he prompted for her to sit down with him. After initial greetings, the two sat in silence for a short while as she waited for her ordered meal to arrive.

Apparently, he'd been thinking over the events with the dragon. "I know it's not my place to tell you what to do, but I think you should return to Skyrim."

"What?"

"The dragon attack last night proves that, despite your victory against Alduin, you still have work to do. They need their protector, Wyllin."

She clicked her fingernails against the mug of tea in her hands as she thought about the Paladin's words. "I... Yeah. You're right. My reasons for leaving were irrational."

"Why did you leave, if you don't mind me asking?"

His question had her thinking back to Bishop. Her night was plagued by memories of the fight they had and she could barely sleep. Did she really want to tell Casavir about him? "It's a long story."

"We have time."

She sighed. Maybe it would be good to get it out. "It was... Over someone I know. I traveled with him for a while. He managed to keep me alive during times I got in over my head. Even the mighty Dragonborn has her faults." She let out a dry laugh and shook her head. "Anyway, I guess I grew attached to him. Then Odahviing happened. He told me that in order to get to Alduin, I'd need to go somewhere called Skuldafn. However, mortals couldn't reach it. You'd need to be able to fly."

"So you would have to put your faith in your enemy. This man you traveled with didn't like that?"

"Not in the slightest. He just... Left me there. I was too pissed to try and talk sense into him, so I went with Odahviing."

"But you came back. You won against Alduin, and the dragon proved his loyalty to you."

She nodded. "When I got back to Tamriel, the first thing I did was confront him. He was drunk, unsurprisingly. We fought again. Harder than we ever had in the past. I was furious because I..." Tears started to well up and she rubbed them off with her sleeve. "Because I love him. Still, me being safe and back in Skyrim wasn't enough apparently. He hates my lifestyle and how reckless I can admittedly be. Ultimately, I decided that I just needed to get away from everything for a while. Alduin's been dealt with and Skyrim's safe for the most part. Maybe they'll need me in the future, but I just need to be on my own, away from everything."

"You can't run away from who you are."

"I'm not running! I'm just... I need time to myself. I've spent the past few months slaying dragons and breaking my back for an entire province that I don't owe anything to. Even a Nordic legend could use a break from her duties now and then. Maybe I'll stick to northern Cyrodiil for now and return in a few days. Regardless, I'm not going to be returning today."

"Then at least allow me to accompany you. It'll be an honor to serve and protect you on your journeys, Dragonborn."

His words had her burying her face in her hands. "I don't need anyone to serve or protect me, Casavir. I've made a hobby of slaying  _dragons,_ of all things. I can take care of myself just fine."

"Yes, of course you can. I apologize, my lady."

"Wyllin."

"I... Yes. Right."

"Look, there's no need to apologize, and you don't have to come with. Don't you have business in Solitude?"

"It's not urgent. I'm sure that they wouldn't mind if I took a few more days to get there."

She took a deep breath. "If you wish to accompany me that badly, then I won't say no. Just remember what I said. I'm not a damsel. I don't need to be protected or saved."

"Of course."

The Bosmer ate, paid for her meal, and then headed to gather her things. When she returned, the two set off. It'd spread like wildfire overnight that the Dragonborn was in Bruma. People would notice her and whisper to one another. Fantastic. She just brushed it off and waited for Casavir to get his horse. During that time, she heard two women out by the front door of the inn quietly talking to one another.

From what she could make out, a group of necromancers had been giving the city issues for a little while at that point. They both gave the elf an odd look when she approached to ask about the cult they spoke of, but willingly offered the information they knew when she agreed to help out. Bishop's predictions of her immediately going back to aiding people seemed to prove correct, but this was a mindset she had for a long while by the point she met him.

At some point during their conversation, Casavir had returned with his horse. He waited for Wyllin to move away from the other two women before he spoke. "What were you talking about?"

"The city apparently has a necromancer problem going on in a cave a little ways west. Figured we could check it out. It'd give us something else to do than wander around aimlessly."

"Yes, you have a point there. Have you dealt with them before?"

"Hmm? Necromancers? Yeah, a few times, both here and in Skyrim. Say, do you have a map of Cyrodiil by any chance?"

He nodded and pulled it out from a pouch attached to his horse's saddle and then handed it off to her. As she examined it, he spoke again. "If it's a cave to the west, I'm guessing they're set up in either Boreal Stone Cave or Capstone Cave."

"I think they said Capstone. Yes, here it is. Shouldn't be too far of a trek." She folded the map back up and held it out to Casavir, but raised an eyebrow when he shook his head.

"You should navigate. I'll follow."

"Alright then. Come on." She pocketed the map and made her way out of the town with him. As they walked, she took in the scenery. Cyrodiil and Skyrim might as well have been an entire world apart. Even the northern areas were completely different. It was hard to believe they bordered one another. There we a couple of times where she pulled her eyes away from the world around her to look at the map and ensure they were going the right way. After an hour or so of walking, they reached Capstone.

"Any battle plan?"

She frowned as she examined the entrance. "I doubt my usual stealthy approach is going to be an option. Hmm... If you could distract any of the ones we come across, I can provide ranged support. I also know Conjuration magic in case there's more than we anticipated."

"If they're necromancers, chances are they have summons as well, along with undead."

"Right. Maybe I should do this preemptively then." She cast her summoning spell and Casavir watched in borderline amazement as three spectral wolves appeared around her. They all sat patiently, awaiting their master's command. When she noticed the look the Paladin was giving her, she chuckled.

"I'm sorry. It's impolite of me to stare."

"Don't worry. I get that response a lot." If he was going to keep apologizing for every even remotely offensive action he took, they were going to have a problem. "I'm not exactly what one would call a mage, but my mother is. She's trained me in everything I know. My spells aren't the most varied, but I put a lot of time into learning them. Anyway, come on. We have some necromancer skulls to bust." She grinned and then headed off into the cave.

Their plan worked for the most part. Casavir managed to distract enemies with the aid of her wolves. She found any vantage point she could to take down necromancers and their summons from above. There was one or two points where they managed to take down one of her wolves, but another soon appeared to take its place. They slowly made their way through each group of enemies, until they reached a new area in the cave and something had the Bosmer stopping dead in her tracks. She smelled the air and made a disgusted face.

"Is something wrong, my lady?" Her companion asked.

"Can't you smell that?" The confused look he gave her confirmed that he couldn't. Right... Her sense of smell was stronger than most due to her lycanthropy. "It's the stench of death, and something unnatural. These aren't normal ghouls. Stay close." She dismissed her summons for the time being and carefully headed further into the room until she heard talking. To Casavir, they were faint murmurs, but she could manage to pick up a conversation. One of the things speaking wasn't a person... At least not anymore. "I have a bad feeling about this. Stay here, I'm going to get a closer look."

"I don't think-"

She was already walking off, sticking close to the shadows. Green eyes peered out into the darkness and what she saw had her jaw drop. Two shadowy figures stood in a room just barely lit up by candles. One was a hooded necromancer. She stood there with her arms crossed, speaking in hushed tones to the second being. That one... He was the one to be worried about. He was tall and decrepit, with pale features. His skin was taut around his bones to the point they were clearly visible through it, and his dark red robes hung loosely off of him. The moment she realized what he was, she quickly retreated back to Casavir with a slightly panicked look on her face.

"What did you see? Who was over there?"

"Lich."

Her response had him frowning heavily. It would seem that he knew of them, and she wasn't surprised. They were infamous, especially to holy figures such as Paladins.

"I'm going to get higher ground. I'll see about taking out his necromancer friend. Maybe it'll catch him off guard." She turned to look for a place to climb up.

"Wyllin."

Her eyes flickered back to him. "Yes?"

"Be careful."

"Of course." With that, she went back to what she was doing, and eventually found a spot that looked suitable. She snuck over to it and scaled it. Once she had them within her sight again, she took aim. Her eyes settled on the necromancer, who now stood quietly beside the lich. After taking a breath to steady herself, she fired, striking the necromancer clean through her skull. That immediately sent the lich on high alert and the sound of him summoning a dremora caught the Paladin's attention. As he charged in, Wyllin readied her own spell. While her offensive ones were undoubtedly little use against a powerful undead, she still had her Alteration spell, which granted her several boons.

The sound of Casavir's blade clashing against the lich's staff had the elf looking back towards them. Her bow now had a dim aura surrounding it, which would allow her to draw her arrows back more quickly and send them flying faster. She crept over, eyeing the group down there, and then took aim. The arrow flew forth, striking the lich in one of his arms. A swing from the Paladin's blade knocked him back, but his adversary was quickly distracted by his dremora. As the two battled, the lich looked for the one who shot at him, but she'd concealed herself well in the darkness.

Another arrow was sent into his side, causing him to growl. Unable to find the shooter, he turned his attention back towards the opponent he  _could_ see. Casavir was too engaged with the dremora that he didn't notice when the lich turned his staff on him. A gout of fire erupted from its tip and struck him square in the chest. The sensation had him stumbling back, and then a heavy physical strike with that staff sent him to the ground. From off in the darkness, Wyllin's eyes widened. She moved closer and finished off the dremora. Luckily, her companion managed to chip away at it enough for her to do so.

The lich turned his attention back towards the darkness. He could make out the faint glow that emanated from the attacker's weapon, but an arrow struck him once more and he staggered back. When he did, the shooter took the opportunity to hide away again. Her distraction gave the Paladin enough time to get back onto his feet. A hand clutched at the spot he was struck by his enemy's staff, but he tried to ignore the pain and gripped his sword with both hands again. The lich must've saw him coming, because he turned around just in time to raise his staff and block off the attack coming at him. Before he could retaliate, the stinging sensation of a blade being driven into his back overcame him.

A small wood elf wielding daggers was what he saw when he turned around. She danced back and forth on her feet, quick to avoid attacks sent at her. A few swings were narrowly missed. The lich was slightly confused when he noticed she wasn't attacking again, but rather just taunting him. He didn't have the time to realize she was simply distracting him, however. Before he could, a strike from the Paladin decapitated his head and sent it rolling to the floor. His body then quickly followed.

Wyllin jumped back to avoid it landing on top of her. Once she was certain it was dead, she looked over to Casavir and smirked. "Not bad."

"I could say the same for you. Your skills with a bow are very impressive."

"That's what you get when you're a Bosmer trained in Valenwood." Once she wiped the tainted lich blood from her one blade, she sheathed both of them and turned towards their downed enemy. She walked over and picked up the staff he was holding.

"My lady, what are you-"

"Wyllin," She corrected. "And I'm thinking this could serve as proof of our kill. Admittedly, I don't like the dark energies coming from it, but there's not much we can do about that. Maybe a priest can sanctify it though." She looked over to Casavir and frowned the moment she saw he had a hand placed over his steel-clad chest. "Are you alright."

"The lich struck me with his magic. The heat of it went through my armor."

"Come on. Let's get out of the cave and back into daylight. We can look at it then." She gestured for him to follow her. Once they were back outside and near his horse, she looked back towards him. "Here, let me see."

"With all due respect, I have Restoration magic of my ow-"

"Let. Me. See."

He reluctantly did as she asked, removing his steel chestplate and the padding underneath. A large burn mark covered a good portion of his upper torso. It was red and welted. Despite how painful it looked, he managed to hold back from showing it for the most part. Wyllin murmured the incantation to her healing spell under her breath. A bright green light engulfed her right hand, which he noticed wasn't covered by a glove like her left was. 

"My magic doesn't work through clothes, like most standard Restoration spells can, but it's a lot more powerful than most others of its kind. This might... Sting a little." Her fingers were pressed against his chest, causing his muscles to immediately tense up at the foreign feeling. She just assumed it was due to the pain. At first, her touch  _did_ sting immensely, but that died down nearly instantly as the healing magic spread. Her hand was removed and she looked up at the now heavily blushing Paladin. "Are you... Okay?"

"What?" He then realized how heated his face felt. "I- Yes, I'm fine." He stepped away from her. "Your magic is... Revitalizing."

"Yes. I can do more than just heal with it. It can restore your energy and strengthen you for a short amount of time. I figured it might've been a good idea to use that, given how you charged through that entire cult back there. I can also cure poisons with it if need be."

"Impressive. It must be taxing on your magicka."

"It is, but it's worth it. I was trained by one of the best, like I said before. Anyways, you can... Get your armor back on now."

"Oh! Right." He quickly scooped it off the ground and began to put it back on. Meanwhile, Wyllin attached the staff to the saddle of his horse. Once the two were ready, they headed off back to Bruma.

* * *

 

They traveled around the northern part of Cyrodiil for a little over a week. During that time, they'd swap tales of their adventures around the campfire and during long trips to places they agreed to go to for others. Admittedly, he was somewhat awkward to talk to usually. Sometimes it was hard even getting him  _to_ talk. Still, the company was nice in a way, and he loosened up a little after a while. At one point, she actually began to believe he genuinely enjoyed her company and hadn't tagged along simply because he knew of her title.

Casavir fought boldly, often charging into the fray and drawing the attention of enemies to himself like he had with the necromancers. Wyllin then stuck to the shadows, taking aim at any who dared to invade her line of fire. They made a fairly good team. Something that had caught him off guard was how willing she was to rip into enemies with her daggers or send the wolves she summoned after them. While she was Dragonborn, he still had a hard time seeing someone who looked like her be so relentless towards her opponents. Hell, there might've been a few times where it seemed she took enjoyment out of killing in battle. It was... Definitely concerning, to say the least.

He'd also learned of how she had a taste for fresh meat from the things she hunted herself. She'd track down game whenever they broke for camp. He watched as she'd carve into it and never really seemed to mind the blood that'd splatter onto her as she went. Maybe that was just a Bosmer thing? She caught him staring a few times, but he'd always look away whenever he realized she'd noticed.

There were a few occasions towards the end of their travels in Cyrodiil where she had seen him cracking more genuine smiles than he had before. He wasn't as on guard with her as he was in the beginning, and his desire to constantly jump in front of her enemy's strikes lessened as well. Her quick reflexes and adept Restoration skills proved she was more than capable of handling herself.

Luckily, no more dragons dared to cross the border into Cyrodiil after the one encounter they had. Perhaps Riinahtoor convinced them of the Dragonborn's strength. None of that was really on her mind, however. She was just happy to escape Skyrim for a while and clear her head. The pressures of her title had all but completely sunk to the back of her mind in the time she spent traveling with Casavir. It'd have to come to an end eventually, however.

At one point when they'd visited Bruma, a courier stopped them. The Paladin was handed a letter that urged him to continue to Solitude. Whatever matters he'd been asked to deal with were becoming more of an issue to the people of Haafingar. Wyllin never actually asked what they were, nor did she really have any reason or care to know. She agreed to travel back with him and help him get to Solitude. They spent the night at the inn and then set out to get across the border the next morning after stocking up on a few supplies for the journey. She'd grown comfortable with traveling on horseback with him, instead of the two just walking side by side wherever they went. Luckily for him, she couldn't feel how he tensed up under his armor whenever her arms were wrapped around his midsection.


	21. The Confession

It was pissing rain as Bishop made his way to Solitude, but that didn't stop him. He'd heard rumors a few nights ago of Wyllin's return, along with something that damn near made his heart stop. She was traveling with someone. Some armored up Knight with a Temple's cloak. The thought had his gut curling up into knots. Her? With some Paladin? It was almost crazy to even think of that. He needed to see for himself, even if she'd undoubtedly be less than pleased to see his face. Fuck, he deserved that.

He made his way through the gates, with a soggy Karnwyr trailing behind him. The Ranger ordered his wolf to go find some shelter while he searched around. The city was far emptier than usual due to the rain. A few beggars littered the street, hiding under anything they could to avoid the rain. A drunk was stumbling around, seemingly not noticing the downpour. As he walked by the ramp that'd lead to the Imperial war room, he heard the telltale sounds of a blacksmith hard at work. For the most part, however, the streets were barren and quiet. That allowed him to hear a familiar voice through the sound of the pouring rain, however.

"The Winking Skeever is a good place to stay," Wyllin told her traveling companion. "They have good food and warm rooms. If you need your armor or weapon repaired, see Beirand. Other than that, I hope you enjoy your stay here. The docks below the city are a good scenic area if you ever need an escape."

Then Bishop heard the Paladin's voice.  _That voice_ was unmistakable. "Thank you, Wyllin. It's been a pleasure traveling with you. I wish you the best of luck on wherever your path takes you."

Amber eyes immediately spotted the two walking back from the Blue Palace. It didn't take long for a pair of forest green ones to eventually meet his. They both stopped in their tracks and stared at one another. It took the slightly confused Paladin a moment to realize  _just_ why Wyllin had stopped walking.

Bishop tore his eyes away from hers and approached the one she was walking with. " _You!_  Where the  _HELL_ did you come from and why are you traveling with  _HER?!"_

"Oh for the love of the Divines..." Wyllin murmured under her breath, but neither of the two men registered her words.

"You know her?" Casavir asked.

"Of course I fucking know her! What I didn't know was she decided to trade on up for some phony asshole in a shiny set of armor!"

"Bishop, can we  _not_ do this now?" Her words were said through gritted teeth. "In fact, can you just  _go?_ I already told you to get lost."

The Paladin stepped over to him. "I think it's best you do what the lady asks, Bishop. Your kind has no place in Solitude."

"Oh  _fuck_  no. There isn't a chance in hell I'm going to just leave her here with  _you._ Gods only know what you've already filled her head with."

"What are you talking about?" Wyllin paused and then frowned at herself. "Actually, no. Don't even answer that. I don't care. I just want to get out of this weather."

"You can go ahead and do that, princess, but you'll be coming with me." He reached out for her arm, but his wrist was caught in the iron-strong grip of her apparent companion.

Casavir gave him a stern look. "Don't you dare even think about touching her. She's made it clear that she wants nothing to do with you. You should leave before I personally escort you to Solitude's dungeon."

"I'm not going anywhere, dipshit." Bishop ripped his arm away from Casavir's grip.

"I wasn't asking."

He growled at those words. "And I won't take demands from you. I'm here to talk to her, not put up with your Gods forsaken bullshit. Now, get out of my sight." With that, he shoved Casavir away from the clearly pissed off elf.

"Don't lay your hands on me, Ranger. I don't need your filth mucking up my armor."

Wyllin tried to stop them, but Bishop spoke first. "My filth? Take a good look at yourself. You're as repulsive as they come! You're not even half the saint you think you are, Knight, and we both know it. How'd you even manage to lure her in anyway?"

Casavir grabbed him by the front of his jacket. "I did no such thing. It's unwise to assume these things about others, Bishop. She  _chose_  to accompany me. Now, I suggest you hold your tongue and step aside. We have places to be."

The frustrated elf growled. She tilted her head up and called upon her Thu'um.  _"FUS RO DAH."_  Her Words cut through the rain falling from the sky, though it eventually returned to normal. Everything around them shook as the Words echoed throughout the city. Casavir let go of Bishop and the both struggled to maintain their footing. When they did, the both of them turned to the fuming wood elf. "Would the both of you cut it out?! I don't have the time or patience to stand here and listen to grown men bicker like children!" Her hands were balled into fists. She looked from one of the men to the other as they both stared at her in stunned silence. Finally, she took a deep breath and calmed herself down enough to speak. "Listen, I don't need any of this going on right now. I've already got enough on my mind as it is." They both tried to talk but her glare silenced them. First, her eyes turned towards Bishop. "You want to talk with me? Fine. We can if it'll get you out of my hair faster." She then looked to Casavir. "You can head to the Winking Skeever. They should have some rooms available."

The Paladin's brow furrowed. "Are you sure you want to do this? This Ranger is more animal than man."

"Oh trust me,  _I know._ I can handle him, don't worry. Go on ahead." The Paladin was reluctant, but relented and started off towards the inn. She watched him until he disappeared from sight, then her attention then turned back to the Ranger in front of her. "What do you want? Make it quick."

He figured it was better to get to the point. "I'm sorry, okay? I know I fucked up back there.  _Horribly._ Yes, I dislike this lifestyle you chose. Fuck, I  _despise_ it sometimes. Every single time you get in battle, I can't help but think about what would happen if the enemy got the upper hand... What if I couldn't get to you in time... Gods, those thoughts kept me up at night. they  _still_ do. I said it before back when that Silver Hand shit happened. I just don't want you dying on my watch. I could... Never forgive myself."

"But you left me back there."

"Yes, I did. I just... I thought you agreeing to do that was the final straw. You're so  _fucking_ stubborn. You always go into these things without thinking first. Imagine if you were in my shoes, and you heard me talking to some giant winged lizard about him flying me to a damn portal to Sovngarde. Wouldn't you have been even a little bit pissed off?" He paused and breathed in. "Gods, if I'd lost you while you were fighting Alduin, I... I would've found some way to bring you back just so I could  _kill you myself_ for being so damn stupid."

"Bishop..."

He held out his hand and she stopped talking. "Then... You came back. I should've been overjoyed but... I just couldn't think straight. I was still so angry, and I took it out on you. Then you told me how you felt and it all started to dawn on me. I was stupid, and I regret every single word I said to you back there." He then sighed. "And..."

She raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"I've been waiting all this time to say this, but I'm in love with you too." The look she gave him brought a half hearted chuckle from his throat. "Surprised, huh? I am too. Just... Just come here, will you?" He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.

She hugged him tightly and rested her head against his chest. A genuine smile formed on her face as she closed her eyes. "Thank you."

He pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Thank you for being there for me. Yeah, you're a bit of an asshole, but it's been a long time since someone's actually been real with me, instead of putting me up on a pedestal or treating me like glass. For the longest time. I needed someone who wasn't afraid to put me in my place when they had to, and here he is... I guess." She chuckled softly, and then sighed. "Trust me though, the pedestal shit gets  _really_  old after a while."

"I can imagine. I've never really been the boot kissing type though. You seem to have enough of those kinds of assholes chasing after you anyway. At least I now have a reason to send them packing."

"Oh?"

He cupped her chin and leaned in close to her. "I think it's safe to say you're mine now, princess, and I'm not letting you go this time."

She smirked up at him. "I suppose I am,  _prince._ "

"Hahah.  _Very_  funny." He rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's get out of... This."

Somehow, she nearly managed to forget the pouring down rain until he mentioned it. His arm wrapped itself around her as he led her off towards the Winking Skeever. Her head rested against him as they walked, and a soft smile played at her lips. They entered the tavern. Everyone within it had heard the sound of her Thu'um earlier, and they all gave her concerned looks, but went back to what they were doing not too long after. Wyllin headed over to the innkeeper and rented a room from him. After she was handed the key, she gestured for Bishop to follow her upstairs to it.

When they entered the room, she closed the door behind them and then dropped her pack down by a wall. Fuck. She just needed to get out of her soaked armor. She began to strip out of it, fully aware of the eyes burning into her as she did. It was nothing out of the ordinary. When she'd stripped down to her underwear, she was about to reach for her pack to grab her night clothes, but was stopped when she felt hands at her sides. A faint blush rose to her cheeks as Bishop's arms wrapped around her and held her against his now bare chest.

Lips were pressed to her neck, and her head tilted to the side. Gods, she didn't want to admit to herself just how much she missed his touch, but it was pretty apparent. The heat of his skin, his hands, his mouth. When she felt him pull back from her, she frowned, but it only lasted for a split second before being replaced by shock as he scooped her up off her feet. He moved to the bed and placed her down onto it. She looked up at him. That normal predatorial look in his eyes was replaced by... Something else that day. Something softer.

He pressed her down against the bed as he got on top of her. Her arms wrapped around him as he kissed her. Fingertips trailed gently down her skin, causing her to shiver as goosebumps were left in their wake. When she felt them nearly dip below the line of her underwear, she grabbed his wrist, causing him to break their kiss and look at her.

"Bishop, someone could hear..."

"Then you'll just have to keep yourself quiet, sweetness."

Any other time, she would've fought. In that moment, however, the realization of how much she missed him sunk in. How much she missed their intimate moments in general, and the way he held her in his arms. She released her grip and spread her legs. He pushed his hand into her underwear and began to tease at her. He leaned down to bite gently at her lower lip, before kissing her and slipping his tongue into her mouth. She cupped both sides of his face as she slowly began to grind against his touch.

Fingers slid into his hair as he pulled back and began to run a trail of kisses down her neck and over her chest. She cooed softly at the feeling, and then let out a surprised gasped when his tongue had suddenly flicked itself over her nipple. The smugness she could see in his eyes had her huffing. She tugged at his hair in response and then tilted her head back. His mouth then journeyed to her other one, his free hand moving to thumb and pinch at the one he abandoned. His fingers gradually rubbed harder at her between her legs. Each little thing he did seemed to draw soft noises of pleasure from her. Eventually, he pulled away completely.

Her previously lidded eyes opened up and she looked down at him. "What..?"

"Shh." His intentions were revealed when he began to remove her underwear and then discarded them to the side. He then got down on his knees in front of her and pulled her closer to the edge of the bed. The stubble on his face unintentionally brushed against the inner part of her thigh, bringing a gasp from the elf and causing her to jolt a little and spread her legs further apart. The reaction had him chuckling, but he then continued. He left a small trail of kisses until he reached her opening. His tongue rolled against her clit, which pulled a soft noise from her. He remained there for a short while, mentally grinning as her moans started to get a little louder. Soon after, he moved down to lap against her folds, and a thumb was then pressed against her clit and rubbed it gently.

She ran her fingers through his hair, practically purring at the feeling of his tongue as it pushed further inside of her. "Gods, Bishop..." She couldn't control the movement of her hips, which eventually led to him holding them down for her. There were still times where her hips bucked too forcefully for him to keep down, however. Some minutes passed and his attention was drawn upwards when he felt her tugging at his hair. "On your back, Ranger."

He pulled back from her and wiped his mouth. "Sure thing, princess." A grin then appeared as he got onto the bed and laid back against the headboard.

She'd wasted no time with him and pulled his underwear down. There was a mischievous sparkle to her forest green eyes that would've undoubtedly concern normal men. Was Bishop normal? Fuck no. He just smirked at her in response. Her hands worked at him for a little while, with more confidence than the last time they'd done this. The feeling pulled grunts from him. His eyes closed for a moment or two, only to flicker open again when he felt her lips against his. Her mouth then moved towards his ear. She nipped gently at the lobe before speaking in a low, seductive tone. "Enjoy the ride, prince."

"You know I will." His hands settled on her waist as she moved to straddle him. The feeling of her taking him in had him groaning loudly as he rested his head back on the bed's pillows. His grip on her tightened a little as she began to roll her hips into him. He managed a grin as she started bouncing and soft moans escaped her. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she clearly tried to control what was coming from her mouth. Her lover wanted to test her, apparently. His hands moved to her hips and when she rose up on him again, he roughly pushed her back down on him.

"Agh! Bishop!" She borderline squealed his name. The hands that'd been resting against his shoulders suddenly dug their nails into him. She glared down at him. Part of her wanted to slap that smug grin off of his face, but a much larger part had her wanting to keep going. She settled on going back to rolling her hips, albeit more forcefully that time. On top of that, she did get a form of revenge by dragging her nails down his chest, causing him to growl as they bit into his skin. Fuck. He loved that feeling. "Mess with a dragon... You'll get her claws."

"Is that so, sweetness?" He scoffed. "Alright, enough playing around."

His words confused her. "What-" She didn't have a chance to ask questions. Instead, she was pulled off of him and pushed down onto the bed. Then he was on top of her, fully enjoying how red her face, ears, and even parts of her neck had become. She was caught completely off guard and wasn't given enough time to process anything before he gripped onto her sides and buried himself to the hilt inside of her again. His pace was quick and rough, and he was already pulling loud moans from the elf below him. Her mind was clouded and she'd almost completely forgotten her surroundings, along with thoughts of who was around them. Almost.

"You just love playing rough," He commented through gritted teeth. "I can definitely show you that." His hands tightened around her as he became more forceful with his thrusts. She'd taken to covering her mouth in a weak attempt to muffle the noises coming out of her. He reached over to pull it away, and then quickly kissed her after. She moved to dig her nails into his shoulders again, which had him groaning against her lips. His hand at her neck definitely surprised her at first, but she made no attempt to force it away, even when he pressed it down. He pulled back to look her in the eyes. The sharpness usually in them was nowhere to be found. Instead, they were dulled over and clouded with lust.

She couldn't get more than a few squeaks out with his hand around her throat. She clasped onto his wrist, and he took it as a sign for him to let go. "Nhh... Gods..." It was hard to form words with everything going on. She stared into his eyes, hazily. That predatory gaze she'd grown to know and  _immensely_ love was back. Her arms wrapped around him and she pulled him down into a kiss again. She bit and then sucked at his lower lip. Something began to stir inside of her, and was building up far quicker than last time thanks to the Ranger's brutal pace. With the cloudiness in her mind, she couldn't even think up any sort of way to tell him. Instead, she pulled back and buried her head into his shoulder. Meanwhile, her legs wrapped tightly around his hips, which made thrusting a bit more difficult. He was going to question why, but the sound of her moaning his name as loudly as she hit her climax stopped him.

Her legs fell back down when she finished off, and she happily allowed him to resume his previous pace. A satisfied smile crept onto her face when she rested her head back onto the pillows. She gazed up at the Nord above her. Fingers brushed stray strands of unkempt hair behind his ear, and then cupped his stubbled cheek. Her voice was soft when she spoke to him again. "I love you."

"Love you too," He murmured. His thrusts had slowed down and become more forceful, leading her to believe he was drawing close himself. He kept going for a while longer, however. Long enough for her to build back up and cum again, though that time was more quiet and a lot less intense. Eventually, he hit his too, and pulled out just before he came.

"By Dibella," Wyllin mumbled, breathing heavily as she did. "Sure as fuck missed this."

He chuckled at her comment. Then he leaned down and kissed her gently. "I don't think I'll ever get enough of seeing you under me like this. Think we'll have more time now that Alduin's dead?"

His question had her let out a breathy laugh. "You have one hell of a libido, Ranger."

"Think you can keep up?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh I  _know_ I can, but I don't think we should keep the entire inn awake all night." She then reached for a linen to clean up with.

"Ahh, right. That." He sighed as he moved to sit by the edge of the bed.

The Bosmer finished what she was doing and then cozied up next to him. Her arms wrapped around his torso and one of his went around her waist. The two cuddled in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying the afterglow. Bishop was about to speak up again, but a knock on the door stopped him from doing so. Fantastic. Wyllin reluctantly stood up and went to go answer it. Along the way, she picked his undershirt up off the floor and pulled it on. It fit her like a dress and covered everything it needed to cover. Good enough. When she opened up the door, she found herself staring back at the  _one_ person she didn't want to see on the other side.

"I must ask that you and that Ranger keep it dow-" Casavir realized who he was talking to and immediately stopped. Color rushed to his face. "Wyllin?"

Shit. She didn't realize how close his room was to their's. She offered him a sheepish smile as blush tinted her cheeks. "Uhh... Hey..." They stared at each other in shock for a few seconds, but then she felt the door pulled from her hands.

Bishop, now dressed in nothing but his underwear, opened it further and looked towards the Paladin on the other side. A hand was placed on the shoulder of the elf that stood in front of him. "Well, if it isn't everyone's  _favorite_  White Knight. You have a bad habit of showing up at the worst possible times, don't you? Hopefully we didn't disturb you  _too_ badly. I know how loud this little gal can get." She could practically  _hear_ the grin on his face through the tone of his voice.

"I... Well, um..." Casavir couldn't get any words out.

A nervous chuckle bubbled up from Wyllin's throat. She then grabbed hold of the door again. "We'll... Try to be quieter. Sorry!" With that, she slammed the door shut and pressed her back up against it. Her eyes narrowed at the Nord in front of her, who was on the verge of laughing. "Divines above, Bishop!"

"How was I supposed to know he was so close by?" He couldn't contain his laughter any further. "I'm sorry, ladyship, but the look he gave us was just  _too_ much."

Her face reddened further and she covered it with her hands, completely embarrassed by the entire situation. "I'm never going to live this down."

"Oh, don't be like that. It could've been worse. I mean, he could've interrupted  _while_ we were fucking."

"You're not helping." She walked away from him and sat back down on the bed.

He joined her soon after and wrapped his arm around her again. "Well, I mean, look on the bright side, princess. At least you look cute in my clothes."

She looked over at him and groaned. His arm was pushed off and she stood up. Once she was on her feet, she pulled off his shirt and threw it at him. Then she headed off to grab her underwear and throw on her night clothes. He watched as she went about picking up their armor and splaying it out so it'd dry faster. Luckily, they weren't as soaked out in the rain as they were back in Blackreach, but the armor was still damp to the touch. Then she grabbed her bag and moved over to the table on the other side of the room. Her carving tools were pulled from her pack, as well as a few pieces of leftover dragonbone.

"And what am I supposed to do?" He asked as she began her work.

She glanced back at him briefly before turning back to her tools. "Why don't you put on some pants and fetch us a meal?"

"I'm a wolf, not a dog."

"And I'm a Bosmer with a quick temper and the ability to control  _any_  sort of animal. Now, go be a good boy and get us something to eat."

He groaned. It was impossible to fight with her sometimes. In the end, he decided to do what she asked and got dressed before heading out of the room. Luckily, Casavir had vanished by the time the door was opened again. He shut it behind him and headed down the steps.

Wyllin had calmed back down by the time he was back up with their food. She cleared off the table and the two ate together, joking around and flirting with one another. It was nice to finally be at peace again with him. The sky was darkening by the time they'd finished. Bishop decided to head out and check on Karnwyr and took the emptied plates with him as he left. Wyllin went back to her carving for a while, finishing up a couple of arrows before he entered the room again. After a little while, she put away her tools and joined him on the bed. Being able to sleep in his arms again was comforting to a degree she'd never admit to herself. He could see the smile that crept onto her face as she nestled up to him. Soon enough, the two were out.

* * *

 

The next day came quickly. Wyllin had woken up before Bishop, as usual. He found her in the tavern area, fully dressed in her armor again. She was sitting at a table with a cup of tea and talking to Casavir, undoubtedly apologizing profusely for what happened the previous day. He looked far less uncomfortable than he had before. He noticed as Bishop walked over and frowned. After saying his goodbyes to Wyllin, he excused himself.

She looked towards the Nord who sat down by her. He flagged down the waitress and the both of them ordered breakfast. Once the two had eaten, they collected their things and headed back off into Solitude. A bit of shopping was done, which included stopping by the market stalls to grab a piece of meat for Karnwyr. The wolf devoured it and they set back off onto the road again. She wanted to get to Whiterun, since she neglected to stop by there and speak with the Companions when she came back from Cyrodiil.

The guild was happy to see their Harbinger return so soon. She happily talked about her travels in the other province with them. Afterwards, she visited Eorlund and mused about getting a new set of armor from him. It was clear what she wore had long since started showing its age. He agreed to forge something new for her out of the bones and scales of dragons if she could get the materials to him, which she readily said she'd do. During that time, she'd also joked about getting Bishop a matching set, which had him rolling his eyes in response.

The next few weeks passed by relatively easily. They'd taken to mostly doing contracts for the Companions. Wyllin was still about as reckless as ever in battle, but her new armor held up pretty well when she got it, especially against Destruction magic. They made a few visits to Falkreath to go to her house or speak with the Jarl about problems that the hold faced. It was pretty obvious to the Nord that she wasn't too fond of Siddgeir, but bit her tongue and tolerated him. The Jarl himself seemed pretty oblivious to her distaste. Bishop was still very wary whenever they walked through the forests of Falkreath, but any attempt to grill him about details ultimately failed. Eventually, she just gave up. Other than that, everything felt much more peaceful without the pressure of Alduin weighing down on Skyrim as a whole. Even then, their hero still managed to seem less than content with life. There were times where her temper did get to her, especially when faced with enemies.

He'd managed to get her in bed more than a few times, and it became very clear just how she liked it. Even the gentlest of moments often developed into fervent touching, scratching, hickeys, and  _plenty_  of rough fucking. She'd fully admitted to herself by that point she had missed the intimacy. She wanted it more than ever now that she had him again, and he was always happy to oblige whenever she hinted at being in the mood, whether it be at her house or somewhere out in the wilderness. If he were to be completely honest, he  _was_ surprised by her libido. She had plenty of stamina to spare, and had really been holding out on him.

One morning, the Ranger woke up and headed down the steps of Lakeview Manor to hear a conversation going on between Wyllin and her Housecarl, Rayya. When the former noticed him, she turned and grinned. A very official-looking envelope was held up.

"We're going to a ball!"

The words had his brow furrowing. "A  _what?"_

"You heard me. Solitude's Jarl Elisif is going to be holding a grand crystal ball in the coming week. She's invited me as a guest of honor, and  _you're_ coming with."

"Ladyship, do I look like the type who'd enjoy some sissypants noble event like that?"

Her arms crossed themselves over her chest. "You don't have to  _enjoy_ it. You just have to  _deal_ with it."

He groaned. "Why are you even excited about this anyway? You never struck me as the type to be into these kinds of things."

"I always enjoy new experiences!"

"Do you even know how to dance?"

"Of course I do!"

"Ballroom dancing?" That had her pausing. "Yeah, exactly. Look, I'll gladly go with you to Solitude, but there isn't a chance in Oblivion that you'll be getting me into formal wear, let alone into the ball itself."

She frowned for a few seconds, but then a smirk curled its way onto her face. "Fine. I'll just ask Casavir then."

_"What?"_

She cackled as she walked past him. "Get ready to go, Ranger. We've got a long journey ahead of us."


	22. The Crystal Ball

They arrived in Solitude after about a day and a half of traveling. The elf was smiling ear to ear, despite the fact her companion was groaning in the background. A ball? Of all the things she could be excited about, it had to be some stupid ball? When they reached Solitude, it was clear to see just how far word of the event had spread. Nobles and royals from inside and outside of Skyrim were there, along the Jarls of Empire-aligned holds. The city was buzzing with more activity than normal, filled to the brim with upper-class foreigners in regal attire.

She made good on her promise of going with Casavir. In fact, he was the one to ask  _her._ Bishop had silently hoped that Paladin would've left Skyrim by that point. He had no such luck. Apparently, he was there to stay for a while. Wyllin was left with directions to a new shop that was opening up in Solitude known as "The Jewel". The Paladin had offered to pay for her gown, and didn't exactly let her turn down the gesture, so she reluctantly accepted. Just as she was about to head there, she heard Casavir say something.

"Bishop, I'd like a word with you, alone." He gestured for the Ranger to follow him to a more secluded area between the Winking Skeever and Angeline's Aromatics. Wyllin knew she shouldn't follow the two, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She stayed out of sight as the two spoke.

"What do you want, Paladin?"

"I'm watching you, Bishop. I don't trust you, and neither should she."

"Fantastic. You wouldn't be the first lick-her-boots maniac to think that way about me. It's funny though, I could say the same thing to her about you."

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Don't play stupid with me. We both know you aren't as virtuous as you want everyone to think you are. Others might be blinded by your shiny facade for now, but I know the real you. The one you hide away so well that even you can't see it anymore."

"If I were you, I'd hold my tongue, Bishop."

He laughed sardonically at those words. "It's a good thing you aren't me then. Tell me something,  _oh-so holy Knight,_ what do you see when you look into a mirror? Have you even managed to brainwash your own reflection?"

Casavir crossed his arms. "You're wrong about me."

Bishop ignored his comment and continued. "Tch. No, you're in way deeper than that. I don't see an ounce of honesty in those eyes." He began walking around the Paladin, circling him like a predator, ready to strike at the first sign of weakness. Wyllin could see the look in his eyes. It was the very same type a wolf would give a rabbit before he bit into the poor thing's neck. "I'll tell you what I  _do_  see, though. I see the way you look at her. Maybe she's blind to it, but I'm not. We have some similarities, Casavir. There's a hot-blooded man in you somewhere, just like there is in me." He stopped once he was in front of Casavir again. "The difference between us is I'm not afraid to show it."

"That's repulsive. You lack any form of honor or dignity. You're nothing more than a lowly animal. We're nothing alike."

"But that's where you're wrong, and you know it. One of these days, she'll see through your mask as well, and she'll tear your heart out the moment she does. I mean, if she hasn't done so already."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It doesn't take a genius to see your interest in her, Casavir. You don't know the first thing about hiding something like that. Here's the thing though, you're far from her type. She wants a man who's not afraid to make the hard decisions, and who can do what must be done. She needs a man who's a sight more honest than someone who wears a Temple's cloak and carries himself like he's some kind of standard for others to look up to."

"Your assumptions of my motivations with her are wrong, Bishop. If you weren't blinded by your lust, you would see that. How could you know about what she desires anyway?"

"I think you already know that. Remember what you saw at the inn a few weeks back?" He grinned toothily at Casavir, which was only met with a scowl. "I've been traveling with her for a good while now. You learn a lot about a person after going through so much with them."

The Paladin's eyes widened. "You're that one she mentioned in Cyrodiil." Wyllin was confused by his words. He hadn't realize that before?

"Oh? She talked to you about me, eh?" The Ranger chuckled. "I assume she told you of her feelings, judging by that reaction. What's wrong? Are you angry? Don't be. You never stood a chance."

"How could you ever possibly love someone like her? How could she have ever fallen for  _you?"_

"I already told you why. I can match just how wild she gets, and I can knock her back into line when she needs it. You'd never be able to keep up with her. She's too much woman for you to handle, and that's going to come to light this evening." His eyes scanned over Casavir, who was doing his best to maintain his stony exterior. "She makes you feel things you haven't felt in a long while, and you don't like that. You can't come to terms with the fact you want to bed that wench, just like any other red-blooded man would."

"Don't speak of her in such a way, animal."

"Oh don't pull that White Knight shit with me. She's perfectly capable of defending her own honor. I know that better than anyone. She doesn't need you or anyone else to jump in front of her enemy's arrows. Your lust  _blinds_ you to that fact." Bishop shook his head. "Anyways, the afternoon is waning, Paladin. I suggest you get ready for the hardest struggle of your life: that hot, flesh and blood woman you'll have on your arm tonight. I'd be  _very_ careful if I were you, lest your 'saintly' image crumble before everyone's eyes. Now, be a good boy,  _and get lost._ " With that, he turned and headed off.

Wyllin made herself appear as though she wasn't paying attention to what the two were talking about, though the conversation definitely had her thinking. He was right about so many things. Casavir was far from her type, even though she appreciated him as a friend. He was too tamed down, and his oath as a Paladin prevented anything from forming anyway. On top of that, she was already in love with Bishop. Casavir just didn't stand a chance.

She silently thought about all of this as she turned the ring on her index finger around. Bishop had gotten his wolf ring refitted for her at one point and gave it back to her shortly after they left Solitude. It now fit her perfectly, and she never let the thing off her hand. The Ranger turning the corner had her forcing everything to the back of her mind. She could think about what he and Casavir spoke about later. She readjusted the ring so the wolf centerpiece was facing out again before she spoke. "So, what's up?"

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

He looked off towards the Paladin, who was making his way further into Solitude. "About your Knightly friend."

"Are you going to be filling me in on this bad blood you have with him?"

"That's a... Long story. One I'd rather not get into right now. Just know I've crossed paths with him on multiple occasions, and none of them ever ended well."

She gave him a curious look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe I'll explain it later." Did he really want to? Not in the slightest. "But I just want you to know something for right now. He's not a saint. He's far from it."

"We've all made mistakes in the past, and we grow past them."

"Of course. That's part of learning. Thing is, he didn't learn. He just decided to hide it all away and now pretends like nothing has ever happened. Gotta keep up appearances and all, I guess." He groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. "I never trusted his type anyway. Paladins. They always have their secrets that they want to hide. Can never embrace their true nature."

"Like you can, I presume?"

"Oh, sweetness, I will  _gladly_  embrace that nature anytime with you." He smirked at her.

A light blush crept onto her cheeks, which she tried to shake away. How could he still manage to get to her like that? "Still, him 'hiding his true nature' isn't exactly the greatest reason for hating someone to the extent you seem to hate him."

"Still digging, hmm? Well, let's just say my reasons aren't entirely for things he's directly done to me. I couldn't give two shits about that. Rather, it was stunts he pulled on people I... Knew in the past. He gave them a lot of problems, and I don't even know if they're still alive anymore. Well, I know one isn't but..." He almost winced at the memories she was digging up. "I'd just rather not see that happen again. Be careful with him, would you? He's got innocent blood on his hands, despite what he'd want you to believe."

His words left her kind of shocked. For the short while she'd traveled with Casavir, he never once seemed like the type to hurt someone as badly as he apparently did to Bishop. Hearing what he had to say about him was almost kind of crazy. Still, even if the Ranger had his jealous streak, there wasn't much of a reason for him to lie about the history he had with him to such a severe degree. Ultimately, she decided to just take his word for it. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Don't worry, I'm the very soul of caution."

"Bullshit."

"Oh, fuck off." She rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's just get something to eat. I'm hungry."

"Sounds like a plan. Too much Casavir can bring out one's appetite. I know his voice sure shrivels my gut."

"Bishop!"

"Hey! It's only rude if I wouldn't say it to his face, and I would!"

She let out a heavy sigh. "You're impossible. Anyway, let's go. After we eat, I have some shopping to do, if you'd like to join me."

"As long as our resident White Knight doesn't tag along."

The two walked into the Winking Skeever. The bard's music filled the air, and Wyllin gently swayed to the sound of it, enjoying the peacefulness of the inn. She joked around and made flirtatious remarks to the Ranger, who brought up the suggestion of skipping the ball and heading out to the forests at one point. Though it was obvious to him that she'd decline. They ate quickly once they got their meals, and then she decided to take a bath. Afterwards, a room was rented for them to go back to that night.

She and Bishop then headed to The Jewel as Casavir suggested, where she was fitted into a beautiful gown that managed to show off what few curves she had. It was the color of lush green forests, and reminded her of her home back in Valenwood during the summer months. A delicate-looking gold and emerald headpiece and matching necklace complimented the dress perfectly. The shoes she wore with it were difficult to walk in at first, but she eventually got the hang of it. It'd be a miracle if she was able to dance properly in them, but she chose not to worry about that for the time being. Her mass of hair was done up neatly in a large bun, with braids leading to it on either side of her head.

Bishop couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she walked back into the shop's main room. Well, more so than usual. For once, she didn't look like some wild creature that crawled out from the woods and into civilized society. There was actually a woman under all that armor and crazy amounts of hair. For the first time that night, he almost envied the fact she'd be going to the ball with Casavir.

She caught him staring and walked over with a smile playing at her lips. She spun around to fully show off the dress to him. "How do I look?"

"Are you sure this is the same Wyllin I walked in with?" He joked as he continued to look her over. Part of him actually  _was_  having a hard time believing it.

She groaned at his comment. "Well you're definitely the same asshole  _I_ walked in with."

He chuckled at her response. "Ah, there she is."

"Very funny." She shook her head. "So, do you think Casavir will like this?"

"Oh, he'll love it, and he'll hate it. Looking at you will definitely make his blood boil, and that's not something he's comfortable with."

"I suppose I make your blood boil as well?"

"Sweetness, you'd make any real man's blood boil."

She snickered quietly and took him by the bend of his arm. As they made their way out of the shop, she continued. "But I suppose you wouldn't be flustered while holding me close on the dance floor like you believe he would be?"

"Flustered? No. Thrilled? Definitely. Excited? Without a doubt. I wouldn't lose control in the ways he undoubtedly could though. Not a chance. Does that answer all your questions, princess?"

"Yes. Am I being too forward with you on this?"

He shook his head. "Oh, you could be forward with me anytime, my dear. I won't mind it. Just as I wouldn't mind getting you out of that dress tonight."

"We'll just have to see about that."

"At least that's not a direct no."

She sighed. What was she going to do with this man? "You know, it's not too late to change your mind about coming."

"I'm not cut out for these types of things. Just be careful there, especially around that Paladin."

"I will, don't worry."

"Speaking of him, I believe he's waiting for you." Bishop gestured towards Casavir, who stood waiting by the entrance to Solitude, now dressed in more formal attire than his plated armor. "I'll see you later, princess."

Wyllin parted ways with Bishop, waving to him before she made her way to the Paladin. He noticed her walking over, and it took a moment for him to take in the sight he saw. The elf could've sworn that she saw redness creeping to his cheeks, but didn't comment on it. "So, Casavir, are you ready for the ball?"

"Of course, my la-" He cleared his throat. "Of course, Wyllin. You look beautiful in that dress. It brings out all of the subtle details in your eyes." He offered his arm for her.

She took it and giggled. "What a charmer, you are. Thank you. Care to lead me to the ballroom, then?"

He nodded and led her there. The inside of the Blue Palace ballroom was beautiful, to put it simply, decorated lavishly in gold and blue. Ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling. White drapes covered the large windows. Gold-painted pots housed exotic flowers, no doubt imported from other provinces. The atmosphere was warm, and the music complemented it nicely.

A man standing by the door took notice of the two as they entered. "Ah! And here comes Sir Casavir and the lady Dragonborn, tonight's guests of honor! A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Wyllin offered him a polite smile, and then bowed her head. She and the Paladin made their way further into the ballroom. There was a railing that she leaned her arms against to look at the dancing floor below. Everyone on it was so graceful with their movements, and she slowly began to realize just how little she fit in with everyone there. They were all tights-wearing nobles, too pompous and self-absorbed for her tastes. Still, she forced that to the back of her mind, and decided to speak with Casavir. "So, how has Solitude been treating you?"

"I have to admit, Skyrim is nothing like Cyrodiil. I almost wanted to believe you were playing that up whenever you spoke of this province, but that appears to not be the case. Regardless, Solitude itself has an atmosphere similar to what I'm used to. Some of the residents aren't as welcoming, but I've never been treated unfairly."

"That's good to hear... You know, I don't recall ever learning about why you came here in the first place."

"I'm here to assist in the war efforts. General Tullius has known me for a short while when he was still stationed in Cyrodiil. He's been calling on old friends to help back him up. From the looks of it, the Empire needs any help it can get."

She frowned. "I'm sorry to have kept you back for all that time."

"Don't apologize, my lady. It was my choice to aid you, and I've learned a lot from our brief time together. You truly are an inspiring individual."

The frown vanished with his words, and was replaced by a gentle smile and soft blush. "I'm flattered."

There it was. One of those genuine smiles she'd pulled from him in the past. Though it disappeared as quickly as it came. "Now, I do wish to speak with you about something. Or, well,  _someone_ in specific."

"I get the feeling I know who that is."

"Undoubtedly."

"He's told me you two have crossed paths before on several occasions. Is that true?"

"Regrettably." The Paladin then sighed. "We don't have the greatest of histories with one another. Most of it was long before I took my oath, however. Long before I decided to go down the path I have. Despite my distaste for him, I must agree that he is more honest than some, but I assure you that whatever he's told you about me is from a long time ago and no longer defines who I am as a person."

"Of course. I told him before that people can learn from their past."

"That being said, he's not at all what he might seem to you either. Don't let him fool you. My past might not be the cleanest, but his isn't either."

"He's never tried to tell me otherwise. You know, I'm not the most pristine individual either. We've all made mistakes."

"Some mistakes are worse than others," Casavir grumbled, and then shook his head. "I apologize, Wyllin. I should not let my past with Bishop sully this night for you. Would you care to dance?"

She offered a weak smile. "I have to say that I'm not the most well versed in ballroom dancing."

"That's fine. It won't be hard to teach you." He offered her his hand, but something stopped her before she took it. "My lady?"

"Well, well. It's certainly a surprise to see you here," An Altmer dressed in Thalmor robes greeted.

Shit. The Bosmer breathed in deeply and tried to keep an even voice and sense of formality. "Good evening, Lady Ambassador. A fine night, is it not?"

"Very." Elenwen's tone was flat and unamused. "I hope you are enjoying yourself. You don't seem like the type to attend these events. I'd assume you'd be out slaying dragons or whatever it is you do in your free time, when you're not causing problems for me at my embassy."

Casavir's brow furrowed. "What?"

"It's a long story. Listen, Elenwen, I did what I had to for the safety of this province. For the safety of all of Nirn! It's over and done with."

"Over and done with?" The Thalmor scoffed. "If it weren't for your precious title, I would've had you sent off to the Solitude dungeons for the stunt you pulled. For what you did to my-" She stopped and took a moment to recollect herself. "However, I am forced to respect you as both the savior of Tamriel and a guest of honor to this fine event. I advise that you don't push your luck, however."

Wyllin shook her head. "You won't have to worry about me. Come on Casavir. I think we were-"

"Lady Ambassador! There you are!" A Bosmer dressed in formal attire approached the group. The moment Wyllin had a good look at him, her blood instantly ran cold.  _Oh no._  "I apologize for my lateness. I was busy with matters at the embassy. Father kept me well past the time I expected him to."

Elenwen clasped her hands together. "That is perfectly fine. Alrandal. I was just having a... Pleasant conversation with Skyrim's savior, here." She gestured towards the Dragonborn.

It didn't take long for Alrandal to realize who he was staring at. "Wyllin?"

"Alrandal... Hi..." She offered an awkward wave.

The Altmer glanced back and forth between the two. "So you two apparently know each other already?"

"Know each other? Lady Elenwen, I grew up with her." He walked over to Wyllin and took her hand. "By Y'ffre. I knew of the Dragonborn being a Bosmer, due to how widespread that fact is in Valenwood, but I never would've guessed  _you_ were the one everyone's been talking about back home. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You always had a certain fire to you."

Her face was heating up as he spoke. "I... Thank you. That's very kind. If- If you would excuse me, I was just about to head out into the ballroom with Casavir." She pulled her hand away from his. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, Alrandal." He didn't have much of a chance to respond before she was walking off, tugging Casavir along with her.

"You know that man?"

"Yes. That's Alrandal. His family is very well respected in my home village." She sighed and composed herself again. A hand wrapped itself around the fold of the Paladin's one arm and the two walked normally. "Both of his parents have strong ties to the Thalmor, and he followed in their footsteps, unsurprisingly."

"It would appear that you have some history with him."

"More than I'd care to admit," She mumbled. "But that's not important right now. You said that you could teach me how to dance?"

"Yes, of course. It shouldn't be too hard for someone with your levels of agility and finesse. Please, follow my lead." He brought her to the dance floor. Once they found an open spot, he stood her in front of him and took her hands. One was placed on his shoulder, while the other was held out, and then his free hand settled on the small of her back. He then slowly began to follow the movements of the dance, and she eventually picked up on them. After she was comfortable, the pace was picked up until they were moving in time to the music playing.

The Bosmer smiled up at the Paladin, green eyes twinkling in the chandelier light. Despite her unsure footing at the beginning, she slowly got the hang of the movements. Then a slower song began to play, causing the dancers around them to slow down, and they did as well. At some point during that song, Wyllin decided it was a good idea to pull her hand free from Casavir's, and then wrap both arms around his neck. Her head then rested against his chest. Even with her heels, she was still so small compared to him. He didn't exactly know what to do at first, but settled for wrapping his arms around her waist as they continued to dance.

"Thank you for taking me to the ball, Casavir," Wyllin murmured after some time.

"The pleasure in mine. For once, I find myself regretting ever taking my vows. Maybe if I hadn't, I could've swept you off your feet like that brute of a companion you have."

His words had her softly laughing. "You're sweet, but I don't think you regret becoming a Paladin."

"My life has its burdens, my lady, but becoming a Paladin was the right path for me. Even if I find myself longing for another life at times."

She pulled back to look him in the eyes. "You've made the right choice. Never forget that."

"Of course." Right after he said that, a finger tapped his shoulder. He turned around to see the male Bosmer from earlier. "Can I help you?"

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have this dance with the fair lady."

Casavir looked back at her and noticed how a blush was lightly touching her cheeks. Still, she nodded and pulled away from him. Alrandal smiled and held out his hand as the Knight walked off. She took it and began to dance with him.

They were quiet for a few minutes, until the male began to speak. "It's been a long while, Lady Springlock."

"That it has." She avoided eye contact with him.

"Tell me, how has your life been faring for the past five or so years?"

"About as well as it could go for the savior of Tamriel."

He chuckled softly. "I've heard many stories of your travels. The entirety of Valenwood is abuzz with the fact one of their own has been revealed to be Dragonborn. I suppose things have been obfuscated and flowered up for that reason, but I must say that the tales I hear are astounding nonetheless."

The blush crept further onto her cheeks. He always knew the right words to use. "Thank you. It's good to hear things have reached as far as our homelands. How has my family been doing back at the village?"

"They have been doing well. Valdras has left a few months ago to explore Cyrodiil. I believe he briefly mentioned something about coming to visit you before he'd gone. I wonder if he's found out about your title on his own or not."

Talk of her brother had her smiling to herself. It'd been a long while since she was able to speak with him. The fact he spoke of visiting Skyrim to see her warmed her heart.

"You know, rumors have spread about a mysterious companion the Dragonborn had taken on recently. Is that tall fellow the one they speak of?"

"Casavir? No. He's just a friend I'd met on a short trip to Cyrodiil. They must be speaking of..." She paused. Did she really want to tell  _him,_ of all people, about Bishop? "Someone else."

"Someone else? Surely there must be more about this man than that."

"It's impolite to pry, Alrandal."

"Right, yes. I forget myself." He sighed. "You look beautiful tonight. Pristine, even. I almost didn't recognize you, but I could never forget your eyes. They've always reminded me of the beauty of summertime in Valenwood."

"That's kind of you." Memories of him had begun to rush back. She could still feel the fire that'd overcome her when they were together. Were butterflies invading her stomach? Damn. She needed to snap out of whatever she was thinking. There was no way in hell that she'd let him get to her. Not when she had...

Alrandal spun her around and dipped her close to the floor, causing her to instinctively wrap her arms around him. They made brief eye contact, and  _shit_ her face was turning red. The sight of it had him smiling. She needed something to save her.  _Anything._  That savior came in the form of a familiar voice. Thank the Gods... Wait. Shit.

"So, I leave you alone for a little while and you're wooing some new guy. I can't tell if I'm impressed or disappointed, ladyship."

 _Fuck fuck fuck_ _fuck!_ Why did it have to be him? Of every single person she knew in Skyrim... Wyllin quickly broke away from Alrandal and made eye contact with the Nord and woah... He cleaned himself up. His hair was tamed back for once, and he wore a suit that was all too formal for him, but still managed to look good. If it weren't for his uncouth way of speaking and his general rugged appearance, he could almost pass for an actual guest. "Bishop! What... What are you doing here?"

"Well, my initial intention was to be saving some poor Paladin sap from himself, but it would seem that someone else is already doing that." He eyed the male Bosmer. "So, who's this?"

Alrandal gave a polite smile and held out a hand, which Bishop didn't take. He then dropped it back to his side and cleared his throat. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance... Bishop? Did I hear that name correctly." The Nord nodded. "My name is Alrandal. I'm a friend of miss Springlock here. We've lived in the same village, and I've known her since childhood."

"That explains why she got so close and personal with you." The Ranger crossed his arms.

"Ahh.  _You_ must be the one everyone speaks of then. That makes sense. The other one didn't look quiet as Nordic. He's also... Rather tall for a Breton."

"He has his reasons," Wyllin told him.

Talk of Casavir flew over his head. "So people speak about me, huh? Look at this, ladyship. You're making me famous."

She rolled her eyes. Before she had the chance to speak, another voice called out to the group.

"Bishop!" Casavir growled as he made his way over. "What in Mara's name are you doing here?"

"Ah! There he is. That flustered little boy I was going to rescue."

Oh no. The elf wanted to scream, but managed to maintain an even tone. "Bishop, please don't start. Not here."

"I'm not starting anything, princess." He looked towards Alrandal. "So, you say you're a friend of hers, eh?"

"Yes, you could call me that. We've been raised side-by-side since youth. Well, since  _she_ was born. I'm actually a close friend of her brother as well." He looked towards Wyllin. "Anyway, Lady Springlock. Shall we continue?" He held out his hand.

Bishop was the one to shoot him down, rather than her. "No, I think I'd rather take this one. Come on, princess. You're here to dance, after all."

"Do you even know  _how_ to dance?"

"I've learned a little bit in the past... For reasons. I might be a little rusty though." He took her hand and led her away from the two. Casavir was borderline stewing on the inside, while Alrandal watched in vague amusement. The next song started to play and Bishop held her close. He offered a too-sweet smile as they began dancing. He was almost surprised at how graceful she was, despite the fact she was nearly tripping over her own feet when she first dressed up. "I'm impressed. You learned pretty quickly."

She was more focused on the look in his eyes to form any sort of response. Gods, his gaze was so... Animalistic. That was something Alrandal always lacked. He wasn't nearly as tame as Casavir, but he was often too formal for her tastes. Too reserved. Too polite. The passion was there for a little while, but then died out. She needed someone more untamed, more honest with his emotions. Then there was  _this_ man in front of her. He fit the bill perfectly. Everything about him attracted her from the start, even if she refused to admit it for a long while. The way her stomach fluttered as he looked at her in that moment proved it.

He picked her up with ease and spun her around. It actually pulled a giggle from her. When she was back on her feet, her arms wrapped around his neck as they continued to dance. "You're pretty good at this."

"Yeah, and  _don't_ mention it to anyone." 

"And you've cleaned up rather well."

"They weren't going to let me in unless I fit their stupid dress code. Figured I'd might as well go all out if I was going to do this at all."

"I'm glad you did, my dashing prince."

"Anything for you, my stunning princess." Those words had her smirking. He pulled her close, and a hand settled on the back of her head. Her eyes fluttered shut as he leaned down to kiss her. In that moment, however, Casavir decided he had enough.

"Unhand her, wolf," He demanded as he grabbed Bishop's shoulder and pulled him away.

He turned to face the Paladin. "Don't think you can go ordering me around, Knight. I'm not scared of you in the slightest." Oh no. There he went again.

Wyllin gripped onto Bishop's arm. "Maybe we should just leave."

The Ranger completely blew off her suggestion. His eyes narrowed at Casavir, who returned with an equally angered expression. "Back off, or else."

"Don't speak to me that way. I'll escort you out of here and see that you are permanently barred from Solitude. Your kind has no pace here, Bishop."

"What do you mean? I'm dressed for the occasion. I'm just here to share a dance with our fine lady here. You're the one causing a scene, Paly. What's wrong? The big bad wolf getting under your skin?" He grinned venomously, knowing full well that his words were only angering Casavir further.

"Bishop!" Wyllin exclaimed through gritted teeth. "Now is not the time or place to be airing dirty laundry. I swear to each and every one of the Divines that I will have your head on a pike if you embarrass me in front of everyone here."

"Fine then. The lady doesn't want to be embarrassed? I say we take this outside, Casavir. Just you and me."

"Maybe we should."

Her eyes moved to the Paladin. "Casavir, you're better than this."

"Please forgive me, my lady, but I need to take care of this animal."

"No!" She hissed, but it was too late. Both of the men were making their way outside. Quickly, the elf bunched up the skirt of her dress and then followed them out, trying her best not to trip over her own feet at the pace she was going. Gods above. How did she always end up in these damn situations? Alrandal swiftly followed behind her, unable to quell his curious nature.

The moment they were outside, Bishop shoved Casavir hard. "You had some nerve even approaching her to begin with. I can see right through that faulty facade. Right to the man you are. You can't mask it from me. Not when I know  _just_ what you are under it."

"Don't get up in my face, Ranger. She doesn't need someone like you bringing her down. I don't know how long you've spent hounding her, but it clearly hasn't been enough for her to see your real side."

"As if you're one to talk. I know for a fact that you're not half as virtuous as you make yourself out to be. I may be an animal, sure, but I'm also man enough to not hide that about me. You, on the other hand, can't come to terms with the blood that boils inside you. Instead you run away and cower from it like prey, but you can't keep running from it forever. It'll track you down and  _consume_ you." He stepped close to Casavir and growled.

The Paladin's hands clenched into fists. That look in his eyes... He was going to do something he'd regret. It was at that point that Wyllin knew she needed to intervene. The last thing she needed was another scene like the one with Darren. She stumbled over her dress but managed to get in between the two men before things got any worse. The small elf managed to shove them away from each other with a surprising amount of force, catching the two off guard. "ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU! If you don't cut it out, you're going to regret it!"

"My lady, I-"

"No! Not a word from either of you!" Her focus turned to Casavir first. "You should know better than to let emotions get to you.  _Any_ Paladin worth his salt should." Then to Bishop. "And  _you._ For the love of Mara, I am  _sick_ of you constantly trying to play alpha on any man who so much as blinks in my direction. I can defend my own honor, Bishop. I don't need you trying to do it for me. Find some other place to sleep tonight. If you step foot into my room at the Skeever,  _I'll fucking cut it off_." With that, she stormed off towards the Skeever, leaving the two men she'd just flipped out on utterly dumbfounded. They shared glances with one another.

From off to the side, Alrandal laughed. "Good to see that woman still has her fire. Though I doubt that could ever be tamed." Neither of them bothered to acknowledge him. Instead, they decided to part ways.


	23. An Old Flame

Wyllin woke up early the next morning. The sun had just barely begun to lighten the sky. She looked around and frowned when she didn’t see Bishop, but then remembered what had happened. She grunted and then stood up. Night clothes were swapped for her new dragonscale armor. On her way out the door, she grabbed her bow. She needed to release some of that steam that was still built up from last night. Eventually, she found her way to the training area for the Solitude guards and new Legionaires. Some steel training arrows were picked up. The quiver was slung over her shoulder, which felt odd given how she often fastened hers to her belt.

Arrow after arrow was sent flying into the target. It almost settled into one fluid motion, with very few pauses in between. Her aim was off slightly, but she still managed to hit the inner ring of the archery target. While she was doing this, she didn’t hear someone approach her.

“You’re pretty impressive with that bow of yours, Dragonborn.”

She paused and shifted her eyes towards the person who spoke. Tullius. “I was trained by some of the best Valenwood has to offer. Initially, I wanted to be a Jaqspur- Err, one of the most prestigious archers in my homelands. It just wasn’t meant to be. I’m better with slower and more methodical motions.” She headed over to the board and collected the arrows she shot. They were all loaded back into her quiver. She moved further back from the target and took aim again. The first arrow flew straight into the center of it.

Tullius watched as she did this. “Either way, your aim is deadly. Better than a good majority of the men and women I’ve trained. You know, the Legion’s always accepting new members, if you ever rethink my offer to join.”

Her lips pressed themselves into a firm line as she released another arrow. It hit right next to the first. “I chose to stay on my own side a long time ago, General.”

“Of course, but…”

“My answer is always going to be no. I could never see myself joining this war. It was never mine to fight.” Another arrow was loaded. “I fight for Skyrim, and no one else.” The arrow fired as true as her others had.

“You speak those words more truthfully than Ulfric ever could, miss Springlock. Regardless, I do want to apologize for how everyone acted back in High Hrothgar. We insulted the sanctity of the temple and took advantage of your request for peace to further our own selfish gains. It was not our place to bicker the way we did.”

“It isn’t a problem.” She looked over towards Tullius, who was raising an eyebrow. “I expected nothing more from men of who’ve dedicated themselves to war. It almost felt foolish for me to attempt to ever make you see reason. Perhaps my companion was right on that front.” She sighed and turned her attention back towards the target. “I almost lost hope.” Another arrow was notched.

The insult had Tullius frowning, but he must've tried to see the reason behind it. “You have a way with words, even without that Thu’um of yours. You could do a lot of good for this province.”

“I’m already doing my best.” She lowered her bow and turned completely towards him. “Look, I know what you’re trying to do. I’m  _not_ joining with you, just like I’m not joining with Ulfric. I know the path this is going to go down, and I can’t bring myself to take it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Oh please, General. I’m no fool, and neither are you. You can feel the tension, can’t you? The Stormcloaks aren’t your only enemy, and they never have been.”

“You mean the Thalmor.” He nodded. “Yes, I see where you’re coming from. Given what I’ve heard, Ambassador Elenwen’s not too fond of you.”

“And I’m not too fond of the Dominion as a whole, even if they’re inclined to treat my race better than most. They have to. The Bosmer are some of their most powerful allies.”

“Right, they have control over Valenwood.”

“Yes, and if war breaks out with the Thalmor again, I know I’ll be against them regardless of the side I choose in Skyrim. I’ll have to fight against the people of my homelands. My own kin. That’s not something I can bring myself to do.”

“Understandable. You have your reasons for remaining neutral. Still, should you ever reconsider, the Legion will welcome you with open arms.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“And I’ll leave you to your target practice. May the Eight watch over you, Dragonborn.”

She simply nodded and watched him walk off, then she turned back to the target. Arrows were soon flying at it again, and her pace slowly built back up. She managed to get a few more minutes in before she was interrupted once more.

“I see the training with Valdras and I back home has yet to wear off. Your skills could’ve rivaled the Silvenar’s Own Jaqspurs if you’d kept it up.”

Her eyes flickered over to Alrandal and she smirked softly. “I try my best. I’ve had no shortage of enemies to fight since I’ve gotten here, if you couldn’t already tell.” The arrow currently in her bow fired, and then she lowered the weapon and turned to the other elf.

He laughed. “Ah yes. From bandits to dragons and everything in between, from what I hear. You’re a force that shouldn’t be reckoned with, Lady Dragonborn.”

“And how goes you? Have you mastered that technique you were working on before I left?”

“It’s been challenging, but I think I’ve gotten it down. Perhaps I’ll show you sometime.”

“Sometime? How long are you planning on staying in Skyrim?”

“For a while. I arrived here with my father on business for the embassy maybe five or six days ago. We still have quite a bit to deal with before we can return to Valenwood.”

“I see.” She then paused. “Look, I want to talk about last night. I’m sorry for the spat Bishop and Casavir got into. They don’t have the greatest of histories with one another.”

“It’s not a problem. Men will be men. I do have to ask though, are you sure you’re safe traveling with that Nord?”

“You wouldn’t be the first to ask that, and definitely won’t be the last. Just relax, Al. I know how to control animals, remember?”

Another laugh came from the male Bosmer. “Of course. I just can’t help but be concerned, especially given our history. I still care about you, Wyllin.”

His use of her first name caught her off guard. He rarely ever called her by it, even when they were together. Still, his words had her sighing. “I’m fine. He’s no threat to me. Thank you for your concern though.” Part of her couldn’t help but wonder what he was trying at. He was never the one for ulterior motives, but it didn’t stop her mind from wandering to that thought. Maybe she was just becoming more suspicious of others. The province she now called home put a strain on the amount of trust she could put in another person, even ones she’d known for ages.

He walked over to her and placed a hand against her cheek. She almost immediately found herself blushing. “Please, stay safe.”

A hand moved towards his, and then pulled it away. “I should… Get back to Bishop. He’s probably wondering where I’m at by now.” She said her goodbyes and placed the training arrows back where she found them. Afterwards, she wandered off, her hand finding its way to where his was.

“Finally back from whatever you were doing?” A familiar voice asked as she stepped into her room.

“I was training. Blowing off steam from  _your_ little outburst last night.”

“Are you still pissed about that?”

“Not as much as I was, but I don’t need you causing scenes in front of everyone. You do realize doing that makes  _me_ look bad as well, right?”

“And why the fuck should you care about what anyone else thinks? You’re the goddamn Dragonborn. Almost all these schmucks think they’re below you already just because of that, and they  _worship_ the ground you walk on.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“And yet you put up with me.”

“Gods only know why.”

He chuckled and approached her. “I think I have a pretty good theory.” A hand cupped her chin. He then leaned down and kissed her. The passion behind it had thoughts of her ex melting away. It was clear he still had emotions for her, but the Nord in front of her was the one she’d chosen. Alrandal couldn’t change that. No one could. She reached up and wrapped her arms around her Ranger’s shoulders, one hand tangled his fingers through his already disheveled hair. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against hers. “I love you, princess.”

She smiled softly. “I love you too, prince.” Just after saying that, something caught her attention, and it wasn’t in a  _good_ way. Shit. Why there?  _Why now?_

“Is that what I think it is?”

“There’s no mistaking it. Grab your bow.” She pulled away from him and darted over to her gear. Her own quiver was fastened to her belt and her daggers were attached to her sides. As she exited her room, Casavir emerged from his, dressed in his usual plate armor.

“A dragon? In Solitude?”

“Yes. Get ready. We have a lot of people to defend here and I could use any help I can get.” With that, she bolted down the steps, with Bishop following behind her. As they stepped outside, the Bosmer looked upwards. It was flying overhead and circling around, undoubtedly looking for her. From off to the side, she could see Alrandal, and then waved over to him.

He dashed towards her. “Is this one of those dragons you’ve been facing off against?”

“Yep. We need to approach this carefully. You get to a safe distance and I’ll force the thing out of the sky.”

“How on Nirn are you going to do-”

She ran off without acknowledging his question. Her eyes locked onto her enemy, and then she belted out her Thu’um.  _“JOOR ZAH FRUL.”_  Her Words struck the dragon and forced it to land.

 _“Dovahkiin!”_  The lizard hissed when he spotted her.

Wyllin growled in return. “How dare you come here, dragon!”

“Wherever you go, we shall follow.  _Hin sil los_  Alduin’s!”

“That bastard is dead,  _and you’re next!”_ She readied her bow. Before she could fire, an arrow from off to the side struck the dragon right in his eye.

He roared and turned his attention to Alrandal. As he did, Casavir came out.

“My lady.”

Her eyes shot towards him. “Make sure everyone is safe. We don’t need this bastard claiming any lives.”

“As you wish.”

Another arrow flew into the dragon’s snout. He then charged at the elf who shot him. Said elf jumped out of the way, leaving the dragon to skid to a halt and turn back towards him. Alrandal was already far out of his reach. He bolted unnaturally fast towards the others. “These things are big and clumsy.”

“Just wait until he uses his Thu’um. Speaking of which, I’ve been wanting to try this one.” She held up her head.  _“MID VUR SHAAN,”_  The three around her started emitting a dim blue aura. They all instantly felt empowered. Faster, lighter, more agile. Their senses were heightened, and their strikes would come more quickly.

Bishop examined his glowing hand. “Where’d this come from?”

“A gift from someone in Sovngarde. Now, let’s kick some dragon ass.” She grinned at him, and he returned it.

The dragon had reached them by that point. He turned to the group and readied his Thu’um. A bolt of fire was sent their way. Alrandal, Bishop, and Casavir got out of the way. They all gave worried looks when they realized Wyllin hadn’t followed them. When the flames died down, they realized she’d blocked herself from the attack with the cloak of dragon hide she wore around her neck. The others gawked when she pulled the cloak down to reveal she was pretty much unharmed. Even the dragon was confused by it.

“Nice try, bastard, but I've picked up a few tricks.” She then responded with her own Thu’um.  _“YOL TOOR SHUL.”_  Her own fire streamed out, striking the dragon head on. He roared out as the flames engulfed him and then launched himself off the ground. Damnit. She’d put too much strain on her throat if she shouted again so quickly. Her eyes turned to the Jaqspur beside her. “Alrandal, think you could down him for me?”

“With pleasure.” The other Bosmer grinned at her and then headed out.

Bishop frowned. “I thought you said-”

“Shh! Let him do his thing.”

They watched as Alrandal took aim. His eyes locked onto the flying dragon, and he then fired. The first arrow landed in the lizard’s neck. He dove down and released an icy Thu’um, which the elf ducked out of the way of. He then fired again as the dragon turned, striking him in the side. It wasn’t long after that he picked up his pace, but it was still fluid and highly accurate. Arrow after arrow was lodged into his target in one quick and continuous motion. It felt as though multiple archers were firing at once, instead of just one.

The Nord looked on in what could almost be considered awe. “What the fuck..?”

His words had Wyllin grinning. “The abilities of a Jaqspur. I’ve already told you that they’re impressive.”

Eventually, the dragon was forced to land again. He looked more like a pincushion at that point, and his focus was solely on Alrandal. Reptilian eyes narrowed at him, though he just grinned in response. One more arrow was knocked back. Just as he was about to fire, he murmured something under his breath, and the arrow immediately cloaked itself in electricity. He loosed it and struck the dragon. Jolts ran throughout his scaly body, causing him to roar in pain.

That allowed enough of a distraction for Wyllin to bolt in. As the dragon reared back, she quickly located where his heart would be, and then drove a dagger into it. That proved to be the fatal blow. The blade was pulled from his hide and then she hopped out of the way before the body could land on her. The citizens of Solitude watched on in awe as the skin of the dragon burned away. Familiar streams of light surrounded her as she absorbed his soul. Once it was over, she turned to Alrandal. “That was  _amazing!”_

Her comment had a broad smile spread across his face. Then she dashed over to him and nearly tackled him to the ground in a hug. He just barely managed to maintain his balance. “Hahah! Glad that beast came down. I thought he never would, and I was nearly out of arrows.”

She chuckled as she pulled away from him. “They do eventually. Speaking of arrows, I’ve learned how to craft them from dragonbone. I could make you some. I’m sure everyone back home would be impressed by them.”

“Well, that sounds like an appropriate gift for helping you take this beast down. I admit, it was an interesting experience, and one I won’t soon forget.” His words had her giggling, but she soon stopped when he kissed her on the cheek. The action apparently offended Bishop, who glared daggers into him. “It appears your Nord friend wasn’t fond of that action. I apologize.”

Wyllin looked over and sighed. “He gets like that… A lot. Here, just give me a second.” She headed off towards the pissed off Ranger. “Bishop-”

“Who does that asshole think he is?”

“He’s harmless.”

“Bullshit! Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t walk over there and punch him in his smug-ass face.”

“Because I’ll shout you out of this city and into the lake. Him and I go way back, and that kind of gesture isn’t uncommon, and it means literally  _nothing_  to me.”

“But it meant something to  _him._ ”

“Do you always have to be this way?”

“Do you always have to attract the attention of other men? I’ve got every right to show them who you belong to now. Your little flirtations really piss me off sometimes.”

She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t flirting with him. Besides, I always end up in bed with  _you_  at the end of the night, don’t I?”

He thought about that and sighed, fingers running through his hair. “Yeah, you have a point.”

“Good to see you can actually listen to reason sometimes. Look, just let me handle this, okay?” She then made her way back towards Alrandal.

“Well, whatever you said at least calmed him down. I suppose you do have control over animals.” He smirked and crossed his arms. Though the look on her face had him giving her a puzzled expression in response. She clearly wasn’t happy about what he’d done. “Is something wrong, Lady Springlock?”

“Yes. Listen, I need to tell you something.” She took a deep breath. “It’s about Bishop. He’s… More than just a friend to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I’m in love with him, okay? And he feels the same way about me. Whatever was between you and I back in Valenwood is… In the past. It’s gone. I don’t feel it anymore, and I haven’t for a long time now. I don’t want you putting a strain on my current relationship by trying to initiate something with me again. It’s not going to work.” The look in her eyes went from serious to slightly sympathetic. “I’m fine with us being friends. I’m sorry for the way I left you back home, and I don’t want to lead you on now. I just want you to know we can’t be anything more ever again.”

He thought on her words for a moment, clearly upset by them. Maybe even slightly angry. No,  _definitely_ angry. “Wyllin, someone like you shouldn’t end up with someone like him. It doesn’t feel right.”

“You mean a Bosmer shouldn’t be with a Nord?” She could tell she was right about her assumption by the look he gave her. Then she groaned and stared him dead in the eyes. “I’ll be with whoever I damn well want to be with. You can’t change that.  _No one can._  Either accept this or get out of my face.”

The words had him clenching his hands into fists, and the slightest hint of a sneer dared to creep onto his face. “Good day, Lady Springlock.” With that, he turned around and briskly walked off. She just stared at him as he did. Despite how hard she tried, she knew her words weren’t enough. He’d try again, and that thought concerned her.

Bishop walked up to stand next to her. “Well, whatever you said looks to have scared him off. At least I didn’t have to this time.” All she did was glance at him and roll her eyes. Then she turned to walk away. “Hey, where are you going?”

“Food. A bath. A nap. I don’t know. Just out of this situation. Please don’t follow me. I need to just be on my own for a little while.” He watched as she headed inside, admittedly a little worried by her response.

Still, he gave her the space she asked for. He decided to go on a walk around Solitude with Karnwyr instead of running after her. Eyes drifted from citizen to citizen. Casavir was busy calming a family down due to the close brush the child had with the dragon. Alrandal had vanished off to places unknown, thank the Gods. Tullius seemed peeved at the fact a damn  _dragon_  had gotten into the city and no one had sent any form of warning ahead of time. Elisif had even come out of the Blue Palace with her steward and court wizard. When they walked by the Ranger, he briefly caught the latter of the three talking about warding spells being placed around the city to prevent further attacks.

As he continued on, he pulled the token Wyllin made for him out of his pocket and began to mess with it, which was something he often found himself doing whenever he worried about her. Despite all the chaos the dragon had thrown the city into, she was the only one on his mind. After a few hours had passed, he decided to make his way back to the inn.

Wyllin had settled down with a small meal in her room. Her frustration had subsided after a while. She knew how Alrandal was. He never gave up on things, and he  _especially_ never gave up on her. It was funny how the moment she felt comfortable with someone new, he just decided to appear in her life again. The last thing she needed was Bishop distrusting her because some former lover came into town. As if he could ever win her heart after all the time that had passed. Not even the embers of their former relationship burned inside of her.

When he entered her room, he found her quietly sitting criss-crossed on the bed. Her eyes were closed and her hands were in her lap. “What are you doing?”

“Meditating.”

“On what?”

“Words of Power.” Her eyes fluttered open. “They come naturally to me, but I often need to focus myself into them so I can use them later on.”

“Sorry for disturbing you then.”

“No need to be. Come here.”

He walked over and sat down at the edge of the bed. She moved to wrap her arms around his shoulders from behind. A kiss was placed on his stubbled cheek before she nuzzled into his neck. “I’m sorry about Alrandal. He’s… Stubborn at the best of times.”

“Sounds like someone I know.”

She scoffed. “At least I know when to quit… Usually.”

“What’s even gone on between you and him anyway?”

“A very short-lived romance that ended in flames just before I left Valenwood. I honestly can’t believe he held onto those emotions for so long.” She shook her head. “Mara knows I’ve long since abandoned them. Then I traded one possessive maniac for another.”

He rolled his eyes at her words. “I’m not possessive.”

“Yeah, sure. Says the one who pissed off a Forsworn, caused a scene inside a ballroom, nearly  _killed_ a mage, all because guys got a little flirty with me. I can go on.”

“Hey, they all deserved that.”

She groaned. “You’re impossible.”

“And you love me.”

“Yes I do.” She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the quiet moment. After a little while, she pulled back and shifted around so she was sitting beside him. “Want to head out tomorrow? I’m getting kind of sick of being in this city.”

“Sounds like a plan. Where to?”

“Hmm…” She thought about it for a moment. “Somewhere quiet. Take a break from everything. Just you and me camping out in the forests, far away from society.”

He smirked. “I like the sound of that. Never expected to hear those words from you. Typically you’re too wrapped up in your need to save this world.”

“This world can handle itself for a while. Its savior needs a break.” She stretched and then stood up. “In the meantime, care to go for a walk?” When he got to his feet, she took his arm and headed outside with him. Karnwyr noticed the two and headed off with them.

They settled on heading out to the docks. Jack had long since departed to… Wherever pirates went. So the two just walked around for a while. Of course, the presence of the Dragonborn had dock workers and crewmen looking at them and murmuring, but she’d learned to just ignore them. There were a few times where someone must’ve looked at her the wrong way and managed to earn a cold stare from the Ranger, but she’d catch on and put an end to it pretty quickly.

As they walked, something must’ve been on the elf’s mind. Her eyes shifted towards Bishop. “Can I talk to you about something?”

He shot her a curious look. “What?”

“Well… While I was out this morning, Tullius found me. We talked for a while, and he asked me to join the Legion.”

He stopped walking and pulled his arm away from her. “Ladyship, you can’t  _seriously_ be thinking about joining them. He just wants your power. He’ll just use you as a pawn.”

“I know that, but… This war is never going to end, you know. I preach constantly about wanting to protect these lands, but I’m just sitting idly by while the two sides are tearing each other apart.”

“You said it before, that’s not  _your_ problem. You’ve already done so much for these assholes, and look at the appreciation you get. Tullius wants to drag you into something else now that Alduin’s out of the way. You’re better just staying on your own side, like you told that Forsworn. Do you  _really_ just wanted to be treated as a means to an end?”

“I won’t be a pawn to them. I’m smarter than that.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “Besides, there’s also something else stopping me. The Dominion.”

He tilted his head. “What about ‘em?”

“They’re just waiting for the right moment to step in. I can feel it. They’ll either take advantage of Skyrim’s weakened state if Ulfric wins, or they’ll go after the Empire itself if they win. If I choose a side, I’ll feel obligated to fight them, knowing me.”

“You’ve taken on Thalmor before without a care in the damn world.”

“Yes, because it was  _just_ Thalmor. I couldn’t give two shits about taking out a few of those bigoted elves. The problem is… Valenwood’s under Dominion control.”

Bishop paused, as if taking that in. “So if you go against the Thalmor in a war…”

“I go against my own people as well,” She finished. “I can’t  _ever_ bring myself to do that. It’s one of the biggest reasons I don’t want to take part in this, even if the state Skyrim’s left in because of the war is…”

He groaned and pulled her against him. His arms wrapped around her, and hers eventually did the same to him. “Your constant desire to help everyone is going to drive me grey before my thirtieth year, princess. Look, don’t worry about these idiots and their stupid fucking war right now. We’ve got other things to deal with.”

She pulled back enough to look up at him. “Like what?”

“Like where we’re going to go to get  _away_ from all this shit for a while.”

That had her laughing softly. “Well, I have a few ideas on that, at least.”

They were both too distracted to realize someone had been walking up to them. Wyllin nearly jumped out of her skin when the person spoke. “My lady.”

She pulled away from Bishop completely in order to face Casavir. “Um…”

The Paladin tried to ignore the scene he caught the two in. “Jarl Elisif and General Tullius wanted me to find you. They feel it’s important for you to know this, as it’s in relation to the dragons.”

“Alright then, what is it?”

He spoke with her about the attack Solitude had faced. Bishop wasn’t the happiest with his presence around, but remained as quiet as he could’ve been. A brief conversation was had, with the mentions of magical wards being placed around the city like the court wizard had mentioned earlier. Word was going to be sent out to the Empire-aligned holds about them taking on the same precautions. Even with the end of Alduin, the threat of dragons was still very real, and that thought made Wyllin uncomfortable. Casavir had been right when they were back in Cyrodiil. Skyrim still needed her.

“I wonder if I should deliver the same message to Ulfric,” The Bosmer mused after Casavir had left. It was clear that no one from the Empire would even dare to set foot into Stormcloak territory to speak with him about it. She still walked that fragile line between the two sides, however.

“Why waste your breath on that racist bigot?”

“Because that  _racist bigot_ is still part of Skyrim. He also has Winterhold aligned with him. The mages could help.”

“As if he’d want  _mages_ defending his city. Seriously, that guy isn’t worth the trouble.”

 _“Everyone_  in Skyrim is worth the trouble. Windhelm might be a disgusting shithole with a petty toddler for a Jarl, but I don’t want to see them fall when I know something can prevent it.” She gave a heavy sigh. “Looks like our plans need to go on hold for a little while longer. I’m sorry, Bishop, but I can’t just ignore this.”

He groaned. First she talked about joining the Empire, and  _now_ she wanted to dive balls deep into Stormcloak territory to deliver a pointless message. “Alright, fine. We’ll go and speak to Ulfric if it’ll make you happy. Don’t be surprised when you find out he’s not at all on board with the idea though.”

“I’ll do what I can.”

They headed back to Solitude soon after. The shops would be open for a little while longer. Wyllin began to prepare for their journey. Unsurprisingly, the entirety of the city was still abuzz with conversations of the dragon attack.

_“If it’s not Stormcloaks, it’s dragons. How are we supposed to feel safe?”_

_“I can’t believe they’re still so brave after the defeat of Alduin.”_

_“Will Skyrim ever be free from these monsters?”_

_“I’m sure glad the Dragonborn was here to defend us. You don’t see the Legion or Dominion doing anything about this!”_

She’d only caught brief snippets of what they had to say on the matter, but it was enough for her to understand their general emotions. It all made her gut turn in unnatural ways. Things were only made ten times worse due to the amount of foreigners still residing within the walls from the ball the day before. They got a real good taste of Skyrim’s  _lovely_  hospitality with that attack. The way they spoke so lowly of the province because of the dragon had Wyllin clenching her fists, but she bit her tongue as she normally did and continued on with her business.

Instead of leaving in the morning like she originally planned, she’d opted for them heading out once they finished their running. Camping out in the forest sounded like a better alternative than staying in a city completely on edge. Bishop could see how it was affecting her and readily agreed. Then again, he never liked staying inside of walled cities anyway. They packed up and ventured out as the sun was beginning to set. Even the tranquility of the forests couldn’t quell her anxiety, however. Just when she thought things were going to quiet down for once in her life, it all kicked right back up again.


	24. Civil Unrest

They took a carriage to Whiterun and stayed there for a day. News of the Empire's plan of action had reached the citizens of the hold. She was stopped by Vilkas, who had apparently been looking for her. The Companions would be assisting the Jarl in protecting the city, which Wyllin was perfectly fine with. She couldn't stick around to offer her aid, however. There were mentions of the possibility of new Circle members, and they wanted her to pick the ones she felt were suited best for the task.

A was a long evening of discussion among the small group ensued. She eventually settled on two members. There was the Dunmer named Athis, who had been part of the guild longer than Wyllin had. She admired his temperance, along with his abilities in combat. Then there was the Nord named Bryete. She was a newer recruit, and Wyllin had trained her personally in archery and one-handed combat while Kodlak was still around.

Bishop had been sent off when things were decided. The Circle had come up with the excuse that the rites involved with bringing on new members weren't to be viewed by outsiders. So, while that went down during the night, he found himself inside the Bannered Mare, waiting for Wyllin's return. She hadn't shown back up until after he'd gone to sleep, which was rather difficult due to the howling that seemed to come from just outside of the city. It didn't sound like normal wolves, but maybe he was just too tired to tell.

When he woke the next morning, he found that the Bosmer was laying next to him. She was still asleep, which had him wondering just how long she'd been out doing Gods only know what to initiate the new members of the Circle. Still, he didn't try to question her when she woke up. It was very clear that the group was secretive about their rites. The two bathed and then ate down in the tavern before heading back out. Apparently, she was still adamant on talking to Ulfric, much to the Nord's displeasure. After saying her goodbyes to the Companions, she headed off with Bishop to Windhelm. A quiet carriage ride later and they were at the entrance to the old city.

"I really wish the Jarl would fix this place up," Wyllin murmured. "I've heard so many stories about how legendary Windhelm used to be, but now..."

"Now this 'Jarl' is too focused on the war he started. He doesn't care about anything else. Not even his own damn people."

"Be careful about how you talk here, Bishop." She glared at him. "Come on, let's get this over with." They headed inside. Just inside of the entrance of the city, some Nord was harassing a few Dunmer, which was nothing new. She saw it the first time she entered the city on business with the Companions. Before Bishop could stop her, she decided to walk over and confront the group that time. Honestly, the treatment of the Dunmer by the local Nords was sickening. "What's going on here?"

The Nord immediately turned to glare at her. "Oh, lookie here! Another knife ear." He sneered. The way he slurred his words clearly showed how drunk he was. "You might not be Altmer, but I know your kind has ties to those... Those Thalmor dogs. You got no business here in Windhelm, just like these grey-skins don't."

Wyllin frowned and crossed her arms. "You have no right treating the people of Windhelm like this."

"What'd you just say to me li'l elf? I don't gotta take those words from you."

"I think you should listen to the lady," Bishop warned as he walked towards the group. A hand rested on the Bosmer's shoulder. "She's got a certain way with words."

The drunk turned his attention to Bishop. "Why's a Nord defending this little pissant? She ain't done nothin' to deserve that kind a' respect from any a' our kin."

Those words had him belting out laughter. "You clearly don't know who she is, do you? You're standing in front of the Dragonborn herself." Wyllin grumbled his name under her breath, but it went ignored. "I wouldn't be so keen on pissing her off. She's torn apart better men than you."

"Dragonborn?" The other Nord knit his brows together as he looked over the elf. "Naw. You got the wrong lass. Ain't no way Akatosh would bestow such an gift onto some tree-hugger."

"Tree-hugger?" She scoffed. "Surely you could come up with a better insult than that, yah damn snow-back."

"Be careful, lass. Those are fightin' words."

"Oh please. Go ahead and  _try._ You don't look like you can hit the broad side of a barn in your current state."

By that point, one of the Dunmer he was harassing looked warily between the two. "Rolff, I would advise against this. If she's actually Dragonborn-"

"She ain't nothin' more than a li'l pissant trying to talk herself up. I can take her."

"Tch. Famous last words. I don't even need weapons to take you down." She raised her fists. Immediately, Bishop and the Dunmer backed off. The former wasn't even going to try to stop this. He wanted that bigot to get what was coming to him.

"You're gonna regret settin' foot in this city, elf." With that, Rolff charged at her. Each punch he tried to make was easily dodged or deflected. Not a single hit was thrown back at him either. While he clearly had a size advantage on her, she was a bit too quick for him in his inebriated state. "Li'l fuckin' shit. Stay still!"

"Like I said, can't hit the broad side of a barn!" She laughed. When a punch on her side was finally thrown, it hit him square in the jaw and sent him reeling backwards. From off to the side, Bishop couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, while the two Dunmer looked on in slight concern.

"That's it!" Rolff growled. He pulled out a dagger from his side. "I'll cut that smile off your face, knife ear."

Wyllin raised an eyebrow. "With that butter knife? Go ahead and try." He did, and she remained still as he charged. Just mere seconds before he was able to strike, she called upon her Thu'um.  _"FEIM."_  Her form faded until it was just barely an outline, and he passed right through her.

The drunk turned back around and blinked a few times. "What sorcery is that?"

"Like I told you, she's Dragonborn," Bishop responded with a look of smug satisfaction as Rolff gawked.

The moment the effects of the shout faded and the Bosmer became visible again, she balled up her fist and struck her aggressor once more. He was knocked off his feet and hit the ground hard. "And that was for drawing a knife during a fistfight. Maybe you shouldn't try that again, coward." She shook her head.

He glared up at her as he held the side of his face. "I ought to have you thrown in prison, little elf."

"For a fight that  _you_ initiated?" She rolled her eyes. "Don't waste your time. Just crawl away in defeat like the little  _pissant_ you are." She watched as he drunkenly staggered to his feet and walked off, then she turned towards the Dunmer. "Are you two alright?"

The looked towards one another for a moment, and then the female who tried to warn Rolff earlier spoke up. "You put yourself in harm's way for our honor?"

"No one should be treated the way the Stormcloaks treat you guys." She shook her head and sighed. "If I can beat some sense into a bigot, then I'll happily do so. Gods know there's  _plenty_ of them around here."

The Dunmer offered a weak smile. "If only more had your mindset. Sadly, Windhelm isn't a place for such luxuries."

"Why do you stay here then?"

"We have no place else to go. Many of us had already begun our new lives here by the time the Nords started treating us with disdain. If we were able to leave, I'm sure most of us would have. It's hard in these trying times though. Thank you for sticking up for us, Dragonborn. That surely will carry a strong message to the Nords."

"Please, call me Wyllin. Might I get your name?"

"I'm Suvaris Atheron. This is my brother, Aval." The male Dunmer offered her a wave when he was introduced by his sister. "I should get to work. It was a pleasure to officially meet you, Wyllin." She then walked off towards the docks, while Aval headed to the marketplace.

"That was daring of you, ladyship." She looked over to Bishop when he spoke up. "He  _could_ have you arrested, you know."

"I'm not scared of him. I'm Dragonborn!" She then wrapped her arms around one of his. "And I have my own strong Nord to back me up." He flexed his shoulders at her words, and the somewhat sultry tone to her voice had him smirking. She leaned up and pressed a kiss to his jawline before pulling back from him completely. "Come on, we have an even bigger racist to deal with."

"Are you  _sure_ you want to do this?"

"Yes. Now more than ever. My primary goal might be the dragons but..." Her eyes wandered towards the Grey Quarters. "I think I have something else on my mind now as well." With that, she walked off, with Bishop following behind her.

They made their way inside. Compared to the city, the Palace of Kings was beautiful. Pristine. Spotless. It made her sick to her stomach. The Jarl could live lavishly while large parts of his city suffered? What a disgrace. She kept those thoughts to herself, however. For the time being, at least. Ulfric sat at his throne with his eyes trained towards the ceiling, lost in thought. No one else was around. His Steward and Housecarl must've both been in the war room. He snapped out of whatever trance he was in when he heard the sound of echoing footsteps.

"Either you're quite foolish or quite brave to approach the Jarl without summons..." Then he finally noticed who he was speaking to. "Ah, Dragonborn. Have you finally come to your senses and decided to join the fight for Skyrim?"

Not in the slightest. "I'm here to speak with you on other matters." Her voice was stern and her eyes were cold.

"What else is there to speak of?"

"The dragons."

"I thought you'd dealt with them already?"

"I've dealt with  _one._ An important one, yes, but his followers are now freely attacking everything and everyone in sight. They had the nerve to attack a  _city_ a few days ago."

He furrowed his brow. "An actual walled city? They've clearly grown brazen. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because the Empire sure as fuck won't, and I want everyone to have a fair chance against these bastards. It's my duty here in Skyrim, after all."

"I see. What exactly would you have me do?"

"The court wizards on the Empire's side are undoubtedly beginning to prepare warding spells and traps for any dragon that might attack. I suggest you have your side do the same."

"Have old Wuunferth place wards around Windhelm?" Ulfric scoffed. "The man might be a master of the arcane, but his power is waning."

"Then call upon the mages at the College of Winterhold. The hold itself is aligned with you. Certainly they'll help?"

His look of mild confusion turned into disgust. "Dragonborn, we might have the hold, but the college isn't as connected with it as you believe it to be. The Nords distrust them anyway. The dragons might bring unrest, but so will college mages. I'm sorry, but your suggestion is-"

"My  _suggestion_ is the only thing that's going to keep your people safe, Jarl. If a dragon attacks while I'm not around, it won't end well for the city you  _apparently_ care for."

"I sense hostility towards my Jarlship in the way you say that word."

"Don't change the subject," She snapped. "You need to turn your attention away from the war right now and focus on the fact there are greater threats."

The frown that had already made itself apparent on his face only worsened. "And what makes you think you can speak to me that way? Dragonborn or not, I can still have you hauled into my palace dungeons."

She crossed her arms and glared at him. "And just what would locking me away do? Like it or not, you don't have many choices, Jarl. I'm not going to stay here and fend off dragons for you. It's up to  _you_  to protect your people..." She paused. "And I mean  _all_ of your people as well. You have a lot of suffering citizens to look out for."

"I assume you mean the dark elves."

"Yes. They're as much of a part of Windhelm as the Nords are."

"Some days I wonder why my father even allowed them in. You only see things from the outside, Dragonborn. These elves are only suffering because they allow themselves to. They choose to wallow in their misery instead of aiding us in our time of need!"

"You want Dunmer to fight for the Stormcloaks? The very army that shuns and despises them and all other outsiders?"

"My men would respect them more if they actually pulled their weight. Perhaps they would respect the mighty Dragonborn more as well if she did the same."

Bishop growled from off to the side at those words, but Wyllin shot a glare at him before he could say anything. "I'm on my own side, Jarl Ulfric. I won't fight for you, just like I won't fight for the Empire."

The Jarl gave a disapproving shake of his head. "And here people claim you to be a daughter of Skyrim."

"Excuse me?"

"Your title bears a lot of weight. Many view you as a true child of these lands because of it, despite your eh..."

"Despite the fact I'm a tree-hugging knife ear?" She asked, spitefully.

Ulfric chose to ignore her tone of voice. "Regardless, many call you one of our own, yet you refuse to fight for us. You claim to be on your own side, and you also claim that is the side of Skyrim."

"Because that's  _exactly_  the side I'm on. There's more to this province than the war between the Stormcloaks and Imperials. I'm not involving myself in your pointless feud when there are bigger threats plaguing these lands."

"You don't view the Legion, Skyrim's oppressors, as a threat? The ones who tore these very lands apart? You are clearly blind to the truth, Dragonborn."

These Nords and their stubborn pride... His words had her sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index fingers. "You were right, Bishop. This was a waste of time. Clearly  _Jarl_  Ulfric cares more about the war than the protection of his own people. Come on." She took hold of his arm and began to walk out with him.

As she did, Ulfric spoke up again. "I have one more question before you go." She looked back at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so invested in the safety of my city?"

Her expression fixed into a glare. "I'm invested in the safety of  _all_ of the people in Skyrim. I'm the Nordic hero of legend, and this province's protector. Hell, as far as some are concerned, I'm also more of a daughter of Skyrim than you are a son." With that, she turned around and continued to walk out of the palace.

When they exited, Bishop turned to look at the elf next to him. "You're fucking crazy thinking you can get away with talking to him like that, you know?"

She glanced over at him. "Been a while since you told me. Thanks for the reminder."

"Why did you think you'd even get through to him anyway? He's a racist, extremist Nord who only cares about this little rebellion he started."

"It was the way he acted back at the peace counsel. He asked for the families of Talos worshipers to be compensated for their loss instead of trying to claim land. I thought there was some heart to him. I thought he actually did care more about his people than this war, but I guess I was mistaken." After saying that, she made her way down the steps and headed off into the city.

"Where are you going?"

"Grey Quarters."

"Why? Need more of a reason to hate Shitcloak back there?"

"As if I don't already have enough."

He just sighed and followed her. Karnwyr had caught up with them, but stuck a small ways behind when he sensed the sour mood Wyllin had been thrown into. It was odd how connected the two were, at least from Bishop's perspective.

The building they entered was a small bar. New Gnisis Cornerclub. A dark elf stood behind the counter, polishing a tankard. He didn't look up at first when the two entered. "Take a seat, there should be plenty of room." When he finally glanced towards the two unfamiliar faces, he immediately frowned. "What's a  _Nord_ doing here? I hope you haven't stopped by to cause any trouble."

Bishop was about to speak, but Wyllin knew any words that'd come out of his mouth would only serve to piss the Dunmer off. Instead, she spoke for him. "Don't worry. The ice brain's with me. He won't cause any issues."

"He'd better not. The last thing we need is another Rolff walking these streets." The dark elf sneered to himself and then shook his head. "Anyways, ma'am. What can I get for you?"

"I just want to talk with the Dunmer." She took a seat at the table, with Bishop following soon after. "Seems like this entire city is in dire straits."

"Indeed it is, and we're getting the worst of it. The Grey Quarters has been reduced to nothin' but slums nowadays since Ulfric's taken over. His father, Hoag, was much kinder to us, and is the reason we all were able to settle here in the first place. Now that he's gone and his son's taken over, well... Take a look around. Anyways, why are you asking?"

"I've invested myself into this province, and that includes  _all_ of the people in it. I'm an outsider here too."

"Ah, 'course you are. Not many Bosmer in these parts. Even if you aren't a Dunmer, it's still nice to see another elf. The Nords don't really seem to care about what kind a' mer they go after. Malthyr was just tellin' me about some lass who clocked old Rolff in the face shortly before you arrived. Says she was Bosmer too. Used some weird power. Fetcher got what he deserved, if you ask me."

"That was me, yes," She smirked at the memory of earlier that day. "He was harassing that poor woman... Suvaris, I believe her name was?"

"Ah, her. He likes to make a frequent target outta that poor gal. She doesn't deserve it. Thank you for teachin' 'im a lesson, even if he might forget it soon." He sighed. "Anyways, miss, my name's Ambarys. Might I get yours?"

"Wyllin Springlock."

The Dunmer raised an eyebrow. "Sounds familiar."

"Really? Must be-"

"Of course it does," Bishop finally spoke as he crossed his arms. "She's the Dragonborn."

Ambarys' eyes widened slightly. "The Dragonborn herself, hmm? I heard stories about you. That bard over at the Candlehearth likes to gush. I guess that explains why you've 'invested yourself' into this icy wasteland. Good to see Skyrim's hero as a heart to her."

"I try my best. Sometimes it doesn't feel like enough."

"You're doing more than most, especially when compared to what the Nords in Windhelm do. Brunwulf's the only honorable one around here if you ask me. He sticks up for others, and his kin don't like that." His eyes then turned to the Nord sitting next to her for a second, who wore his typical resting bitch face. "Apologies if I offended your friend here."

Wyllin cackled and moved to place a hand over one of Bishop's, which he had resting against the bartop. "Bishop's not one of those 'Skyrim belongs to the Nords' types." The Ranger just rolled his eyes. "I mean, he's been traveling with me for a while now, even before he knew of my status. He doesn't have much of a problem with elves." More like he had a problem with  _everyone,_ but she conveniently left that part out.

"Good to hear." As he said that, someone walked down the steps and entered the room through a door in the back.

"I think I managed to fix that hole in the ceiling. Thanks for letting me stay here, Ambarys." Wyllin recognized that voice.

"No problem, Malborn. Glad you could make it here before the Thalmor caught up with you."

"Malborn?"

She caught the fellow Bosmer's attention. "Wyllin. So you're still alive?" He crossed his arms and frowned at her. "I hope that information you had me gather was worth it. They caught onto me and I got out just in time. Now those damned Altmer are going to be hunting me for the rest of my life."

"The information we got was useful. Our main problem is gone thanks to your help. Listen, I told you that you could reach out to me for help if things went south with the Thalmor."

He sighed. "Right, of course you did. Anything for a kinsman, I suppose. Well, you're here now, and maybe you  _can_  help me."

"With what?"

"I figured my best bet for safety is to cross the border to Morrowind. The Thalmor have practically no presence there. As much as I'd hate to go into hiding for the rest of my life, I can't risk them finding me. The problem is I've been informed that they've already sent an assassin for me, and he's waiting outside of the gate to Windhelm."

Thinking back, Wyllin briefly recalled an unfamiliar face skulking in the shadows around the stables. A Khajiit. She assumed he was with a caravan until she noticed none of the others were around. "Would this assassin happen to be a Khajiit?"

"You've seen him?"

"Last I checked, he was making himself as inconspicuous as possible around the stables. Given how they aren't allowed in Windhelm, I guess he's waiting for you to exit."

"Yes, he is. I think his name is... Jadder or J'dather... I don't know. One of those weird Khajiit names. Anyway, I can't leave until he's gone, and I have no way of disposing him myself."

She looked around the room. The only other one there besides Bishop and Malborn was the bartender she'd been speaking to. "Well, if this is all kept between us, I'll be glad to help." She already knew Bishop wouldn't give a damn.

"Us Dunmer aren't too fond of the Dominion either, miss. If you can hurt 'em, go for it.'

She nodded, and then turned back to Malborn. "I can take care of this. Just let me wait until nightfall."

"Take your time. I've certainly got plenty."

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Ambarys. I'd like to say I'd be able to fix the issues around here, but Ulfric is just too... Ulfric right now."

"The fact you're trying alone means a lot, Dragonborn. Have a good day." He then went back to cleaning mugs. Wyllin said her goodbyes to Malborn and told him she'll talk to him tomorrow once she'd dealt with the assassin. Afterwards, she exited the cornerclub with Bishop following closely behind.

"You just always have to help people, even if it means getting the Dominion further up your ass."

"I'd do a lot for fellow Bosmer, especially one who's been wronged so badly by those Thalmor bastards. They killed his family. I couldn't imagine what they'd do to mine."

"Are you sure they won't just retaliate for all this trouble you're causing them. You have family back in Valenwood, don't you?"

She nodded, but then sighed. "I thought that at first too, but then I realized how stupid it'd be for the Thalmor to go after them. Alrandal's family is pretty influential in Valenwood, and they've been closely tied to my family for generations on my mother's side. Given the fact his family is also a powerful ally to the Dominion  _because_  of their influence, losing their support could be troublesome for the robed bastards. In the end, it's probably just not the best idea to go after my family as a whole if they just want to retaliate against  _me_ in specific."

"And I'm guessing Alrandal has ties to them as well."

"Yes. He's training to be a Valenwood ambassador. The thought of that makes my skin crawl."

He chuckled. "Guess I don't actually have to worry about him then."

"You never did. Whatever I had with him is long gone." Her eyes shifted over and she gave a devilish smile. "I have my eyes set on someone a liiiittle better than him."

"And just who might that be."

Her smirk turned into a grin. She grabbed him by the front of his jacket and pulled him closer to eye level with her. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck. "He's someone special. Tall Nord, rugged features, enthralling eyes, and a voice that could get any real woman's heart racing." Her compliments definitely boosted his ego and had him smirking down at her. "And he's also a complete jackass and animal."

"Tch. Well thanks."

She placed a finger against his lips. "And I think I might just crawl into a bedroll with this Nord tonight."

He took her wrist and moved her hand out of the way. "Is that so?"

The Bosmer let out a giggle that sounded all-too innocent. She pulled him into a kiss. His hands settled at her waste as one of hers gripped at the back of his scalp. When she pulled back, she looked up at him and smiled softly. "I love you, my prince."

"Love you too, princess," He chuckled.

She released him from her grasp. "Anyway, I have an assassin to take down. Think we can stop by the Candlehearth to prepare for a little?"

"As long as 'preparing' comes with a warm meal and a few drinks, I'm fine with it. He allowed her to take his arm again and they headed off. They settled down inside the tavern and placed their orders. The two ate in peace, occasionally going about their usual flirtations. Alec was nowhere to be found, but the usual Dunmer bard was strumming a tune upstairs. It was a song that Wyllin hadn't actually heard before, which was a surprise.

"This next song goes out to the Dragonborn, the savior of Skyrim," The bard said before she began to play.

_"Alduin's wings, they did darken the sky._ __  
_His roar fury's fire, and his scales sharpened scythes._ __  
_Men ran and they cowered, and they fought and they died._ _  
_ _They burned and they bled as they issued their cries..."_

Wyllin found herself swaying along to the music that filled the room, her eyes closed. The words of it slowly began to fade out for her, however. Visions of the Tongues mentioned in the song flashed through her mind. She could still feel the meaning of Dragonrend biting at her soul. The Words were so full of anger and spite. Each time she saw a dragon, she wanted nothing more than to rend scales from bone and take their skulls as a trophy. The only exceptions to that were Paarthurnax and Odahviing. Riinahtoor had pledged his loyalty to her as well, but she had to admit to herself that she wanted to spill his guts when they first met. Maybe that same anger was what she took out on Bishop when she got back to Tamriel. The memory of their fight was still fresh in her mind and thinking back to it made her uneasy...

The very Nord seemed to notice how her thoughts became troubled. He shook her gently, which brought her back to reality. "You alright, ladyship. You kind of zoned out."

She looked over at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing important."

He frowned. "I saw you crying."

She blinked a few times. "What?" One of her hands was brought up to her face. There was a small amount of dampness on her cheeks. Shit. Well, there wasn't any sort of way that she could've talked herself out of this one. The elf gave a frustrated sighed. "It was about my vision with the Elder Scroll."

"What of it?"

"There's something about Words of Power I never really explained. Whenever you learn one, you take its meaning into yourself. It becomes a part of you. That was one of the first things the Greybeards taught me. Certain ones don't really do any harm but... When I learned Dragonrend, I felt  _everything_ about it. Not just the meanings of the words, but the torment brought on by Alduin. I felt mankind's hatred towards him, which was what led them to making the Shout to begin with. It's... Changed me. Facing off against him only made it worse. Back in Riverwood after the battle, we fought, and my anger boiled over..." Tears began to well up again as she spoke and ran down her cheeks. She hung her head low, unable to look at him any longer. "I'm sorry. I still feel so stupid about it every time I think back to it."

He'd definitely noticed how much more aggressive she'd become against her enemies since she returned to Skyrim, and didn't really know how she acted in Cyrodiil. There were times where if someone would say the wrong words or give either of them the wrong look, she'd immediately glare at them instead of blowing them off like she used to. He just assumed it was her remaining stress from everything she'd been through in the past few months but... This?

He stood up from his chair and then pulled her onto her feet by her arm. Before she could do anything, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. The gesture had her smiling. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her face buried itself against his chest. As they stood there, he spoke again. "That's all in the past, Wyllin. You can overcome it. Don't let this shit get to you. Can't have the mighty Dragonborn herself be seen crying, now can we?"

She managed a weak laugh and then pulled back. Her eyes met his. She cupped the side of his face with her hand, thumb running over his stubbled cheek. He found himself pressing into her touch. The silent moment between the two of them was interrupted when Elda, the innkeeper, cleared her throat.

"Food's ready, if you're done doing... Whatever it is you're doing."

Her words had Wyllin pulling away from him. She scratched the back of her neck and laughed nervously. A small peck was placed against her lover's jawline before they both moved to take their seats at the bar.


	25. Meh Ayleidion

After eating, they decided to walk around Windhelm for a short while. Many citizens gave the outsiders suspicious looks, unsurprisingly. There were a few Dunmer who seemed to recognize the strangers, however. They appeared to be far more willing to converse with them than the local Nords. Apparently, what had happened between her and Rolff had spread throughout a good portion of the Grey Quarters over the past few hours, most likely with the help of the bartender.

They headed out to take care of the assassin after night had fallen. He was an easy target once they managed to lure him away from any guards or citizens who'd see him. Then again, not many in Windhelm would've cared about a Khajiit mysteriously winding up dead, despite how disturbing that might've seemed. It was still better safe than sorry though.

After they'd finished up their little task, Bishop found himself being pulled into the forest for camping and some... Personal time with his lover. Karnwyr made himself scarce, deciding to go hunt down a meal for himself, rather than stick around the camp. He'd learned his lesson after accidentally walking in on them a few times in the past, which had the two scolding him something fierce.

Wyllin had calmed down considerably since her spiel at the tavern. The feeling of Bishop's lips on her own and his warm body pressed up against her definitely numbed her negative emotions further. It was more passionate that time, rather than their usual roughness, and she never once tried to change that throughout the entire exchange.

She woke up the next morning to see him sitting upright, back faced towards her. While his hands were just barely in view, she could see him fiddling with something. The token she made him? It warmed her heart to know he still had it, even though she knew he never had any real reason to get rid of it. She sat up and stretched, and then moved to wrap her arms around him, a soft smile playing at her lips.

"Morning, sweetness," He greeted.

"Morning," She mumbled as she rested her head against the back of his shoulder.

"Sleep well? I was surprised to see you were still out when I woke up."

"Mhmm." She shifted onto her knees and pulled back the collar of his shirt. Then she began to assault his neck with little kisses. It was something she'd done in the past, but it still always caught him by surprise.

"Someone's affectionate," He laughed.

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"Not in the slightest." He pocketed the token and then reached back to wrap an arm around her, soon pulling her onto his lap once he'd done so. "I still think the 'morning after' look suits you."

"Yes, you've told me before." She leaned in and kissed him. When he tried to pull back after a while, her hand gripped the back of his head and locked him in place. Her tongue gently glided over his lower lip, which he took as an invitation to deepen their kiss. His own tongue found its way into her mouth, which she fully welcomed. His hands slid up her shirt and fingers lightly traced along her sides, which had shivers going down her spine.

They eventually parted. After a few quick kisses, he looked into her eyes. There was a dull shine to them, made from a mix of sleepiness and pleasure. She pushed him onto his back and then started to grind against him. Her doing so brought a strained grunt from him. She could feel his erection growing more through his pants every time she pressed her hips against his. His hands moved up and began to grope at her breasts, which had her happily removing her shirt for him.

"Didn't get your fill last night, hmm? And to think you call  _me_ insatiable."

She sighed at his words. "Be quiet and take me, Ranger."

He grinned. "With pleasure, princess." Then he moved her off of him and onto her back. She stared up at him and bit her lower lip as he began to undo his pants.

* * *

 

After they finally got around to packing up and Wyllin got herself looking more presentable, they made their way back to Windhelm. Malborn was informed about the death of the Khajiit. When he decided to gather his things and head out, Wyllin insisted on going with him to the border, much to Bishop's displeasure. She was way too kind, especially to other Bosmer. Luckily, that kindness was needed. Several Ice Wraiths and a few snow wolves hung close to the path. Malborn wouldn't have survived, but she, Bishop, and Karnwyr were more than capable of taking them down. Once he was safely at the border, he thanked them and then headed off.

They settled on a warm meal at the Candlehearth before leaving Windhelm. They sat down inside the tavern and placed their order. As they waited, Wyllin had taken to absentmindedly tapping her fingers against the table softly and humming a tune. It was something Bishop vaguely recognized. "Does that song you hum to have any sort of significance? I hear it from you all the time when you're cooking or we're on the road."

She looked over at him. "Right, I forget that you don't know a lot about my homeland and its culture. It's actually a song based off of the teachings of Valenwood's most famous poem."

"What's that?"

"Meh Ayleidion." His confused expression had her chuckling. "The actual poem was originally written in Bosmeris, and it's hard to translate into an easily singable version in Tamrielic. So a short song was made that has a lot of references to it for Valenwood bards to perform on their travels. Y'know, spread important parts of our culture around in a way others can understand."

A voice spoke up from behind them. "Right, Meh Ayleidion! The One Thousand Benefits of Hiding! That's the poem that speaks of a special ability among the Bosmer, yes?"

Wyllin turned to face the speaker with a surprised look, until she realized who it was. Of course it would've been that bard. "Still around, Alec?" She hadn't remembered seeing him at all the previous day.

Alec smiled at her. "Someone has to bring song and cheer to this city in these dark times, don't they?"

"I suppose so. Anyway, you know of Meh Ayleidion and the song I'm talking about?"

He nodded. "I've heard the song plenty of times in my travels around Valenwood. The way your kin always seem to recite it so beautifully and full of heart has captivated me. Would you mind?" He took out his lute.

She grew a little red in the face. "Oh... I'm sorry, but I'm not too good at actually singing."

"Oh come on, ladyship. Entertain us!"

Bishop's words had her glaring at him. "Why don't  _you_ sing then?"

"Because I don't know the actual words to the song, and he's asking  _you_."

The elf sighed. "Fine, if it'll get you all off my ass about it..." Alec began to strum along to the beat often used when Bosmeri bards sang the poem. She nodded along for a moment.

_(A/N:The lyrics were written to the tune of "Aspenglow" by John Denver.)_

_"Listen to the hearts of trees_ _  
_ _The song that flows root to leaves_ _  
_ _There is knowledge to behold_ _  
_ _Wisdom from days of old_

 _Hear your footsteps on the ground_ _  
_ _See the shadows all around_ _  
_ _In their arms, you start to fade_ _  
_ _Your body, one with shade_

 _Hear His teachings in your ear_ _  
_ _And His lessons will be clear_ _  
_ _Listen to His wise words child_ _  
_ _Embrace freedom of the wild_

 _There are whispers through the leaves_ _  
_ _Hear the stories that they weave_ _  
_ _There are answers to behold_ _  
_ _Wisdom from words of old"_

There was a small break in the lyrics as Alec continued to play. Wyllin had closed her eyes at one point, and continued to move her head to the rhythm. The entire tavern had fallen silent, save for the bard's tune. From off to the side, Bishop was gawking. After a moment, she continued.

 _"Silent footsteps on the ground_ _  
_ _Blend your form to what's around_ _  
_ _Tree to tree with your mind clear_ _  
_ _Shadows call you, and you hear_

 _Listen to the hearts of trees_ _  
_ _The song that flows root to leaves_ _  
_ _There are lessons to behold_ _  
_ _Wisdom from tales of old"_

Her eyes fluttered open again as Alec finished the song. She looked around to see everyone staring at her, which had her cheeks turning red. "Oh. Uhm..."

The bard chuckled as he sat his lute down. "That song really brings out your Bosmeri accent."

She scratched the back of her neck and gave him a nervous laugh in response. "I hope I was at least understandable."

"More than that! You were wonderful! You sing it with the same heart as your kin do, my muse, like a true Bosmer of Valenwood! I could never even come close to matching that."

His words had her beaming. "Thank you." She then turned to Bishop, who still looked stunned. "Are you alright?"

When he realized the look he was giving her, he snapped out of it. "Please don't tell me I've been traveling with some bard this entire time."

She shook her head in response. "Far from it. I only know the songs of my homelands... And the same few often sung around these parts. Isn't there a college bards learn at in Solitude? You'd figure they'd learn more from there than just three or four songs."

"Yeah, maybe mister Prince of Song over there could teach them a lesson or two about diversity." He rolled his eyes and pressed his mug to his lips.

"Perhaps I could!" Alec mused, obviously not registering Bishop's sarcasm. "I can travel around Skyrim and teach the bards the most famous songs and poems I've learned from around Tamriel! It may bring these lands one step closer to opening its arms to outsiders of all kinds!"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Wyllin said, trying not to giggle at how overly dramatic he sounded when he spoke.

The Imperial took one of her hands. "And thank you, my muse, for sharing your lovely voice and joining me in this song."

"Yes, relish in it. This is the only time anyone's  _ever_ going to get that out of me." She rolled her eyes.

"I must prepare for my journey. Perhaps we will meet yet again and you can tell me all about your defeat of Alduin."

"So you've heard about that, eh?"

"Of course! Who hasn't?" He moved away from her. "Until we meet again, my muse." With that, he turned and headed towards his room.

"Well, at least that bard will be getting out of my hair," Elda stated, and then sighed. "Now all I have to worry about is that  _Dunmer_  upstairs." The way she spoke had the wood elf's brow furrowing. Ah yes, another racist Nord. Maybe it was best to ignore that backhanded comment.

"So you managed to enthrall that bard even further,  _muse,_ " Bishop snickered, which caught his companion's attention.

"And apparently you as well, if that look you gave me is anything to go by."

"Oh please, you didn't 'enthrall' me with that little performance. I just didn't expect someone like you to be able to sing like that."

"Someone like me, eh? What's  _that_ supposed to mean?"

He shook his head and sighed. "Nevermind. Don't we have shit to do? A dragon to kill? Some long lost hat to retrieve?"

"Well, I actually want to set back out on the road and head to Falkreath. Check up on Rayya and Iddari now that I have more time to."

"Oh great, back there again..."

"What is your  _problem_ with Falkreath?" She didn't get much of an answer, which wasn't a surprise. All he ever really mentioned was having history with people there. Whatever. She had other things to worry about.

* * *

 

They made it to Falkreath after a few days of rather uneventful travel. The sun was beginning to descend as they reached Lakeview. Just as Wyllin was going to unlock the door, something caught her attention. Bishop might've been unable to hear it, but she could catch the faintest sound of footsteps and a tree rustling. Then an arrow had loosed itself from a bow and lodged itself into the doorpost next to her. She jumped back and dropped the key in her hand.

Bishop drew his bow and looked around. "Who the hell's there?" Karnwyr had jumped into action as well, stance widening as he looked around.

Meanwhile, Wyllin examined the arrow. She pulled it out from the wood. "Bishop, don't."

"The fuck do you mean by 'don't'? This asshole attacked us!"

"Take a look at this." She held it out to him. The arrow was crafted almost completely from bone. On top of that, it held the same spiked arrowhead she often made on hers. For some reason, she smirked.

"Yeah, it's from a Bosmer. So what?"

"I only know a few out there who specifically make them like  _this_." Her focus then turned to the trees. "Alright Valdras, quit scaring my companion and come out!"

Bishop frowned. Valdras? Who in Oblivion was that? The question he asked himself was soon answered when a male Bosmer appeared from the forest line. The Nord could immediately see the similarities between him and Wyllin, most notably the coloration of his eyes and hair. Yeah, they were definitely related.

She bolted towards the newcomer and nearly tackled him to the ground with a hug. "Gods above! When Alrandal mentioned you coming to visit, I almost didn't believe it. I've missed you so much."

"And I've missed you, sister. Apologies for startling your friend. I hadn't noticed your company."

"Yeah, what the fuck was that even for?" Bishop asked with a scowl on his face.

Wyllin chuckled and pulled away from her brother. "Bosmer are known for playing little tricks on their kin like that. Believe me, we've both done a lot worse than just fire arrows at one another. Even Cyliel would-" She cut herself off and her brow furrowed. Bishop shot her a curious look. "Nevermind. It's just a thing siblings do back home sometimes."

"Your culture is weird, ladyship."

"Says a Nord."

"The fuck's that supposed to mean?"

She just smirked at him and turned back to Valdras. "When did you arrive?"

"A couple of days ago. You were hard to track down, but I learned of your house when I visited Falkreath. Figured you'd be back here eventually."

"Well, I'm glad I decided to visit when I did then. I can sometimes spend a good amount of time away from this place."

"Have to keep up with all that Dragonborn business, I presume?"

"Ahh, so you  _did_ find out about that. Apparently you left Valenwood before word got back to them about me."

"I have to admit, it was hard for me to believe everyone's been talking about  _you_ at first,until I heard about the legend climbing on back of an actual dragon and flying off. There's no other Bosmer on all of Nirn that'd do something like that."

"Yeah, she's crazy," Bishop grumbled as he crossed his arms.

Valdras' attention then turned to the Nord. "And who might this be?"

"This is Bishop. He's... A friend." Her use of the word 'friend' had her companion raising an eyebrow. Friend? He was a lot more than that to her, and they both knew it. Why did she avoid mentioning that to her brother?

"Ahh, so this is the Nord I've heard about accompanying the Dragonborn. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Bishop." Valdras held out his hand for the Nord to shake, but then dropped it back to his side when he didn't. He then cleared his throat. "Well, anyway. How have you been holding up, Wyllin? We haven't spoken face-to-face in a while."

"I've been about as well as I could be. The last few months have been... Challenging. Nothing a mighty Nordic legend can't handle though." She reached for the key she'd dropped when that arrow came flying past her. Then she pushed it into the lock on the door and turned it. "Come inside. I have so much to tell you."

He followed her in, with Bishop and Karnwyr following behind them. Wyllin spent a good while going over her adventures. She decided to cook a traditional Bosmer dish in celebration of her brother visiting. It consisted solely of meat, with Elsweyr spices she'd picked up from a caravan thrown into the mix for flavor. She served it on a large platter and then sat down next to Bishop to eat after tossing Karnwyr a large piece of beef.

"You've definitely been on quite the adventure," Valdras chuckled as she settled down at the dining table. "I see you haven't forgotten your teachings from Valenwood during your time here, however."

"I never want to forget our homelands. I still miss it sometimes, but I haven't been  _as_  homesick recently. Skyrim couldn't be any more different from Valenwood though."

"I can tell. I haven't been far outside of Falkreath, but even the southern portion has a bitter chill you'll never get back home. I'm glad I packed my cloak." Wyllins laugh had him smiling softly. "So, have you thought about coming back to visit us? I'm sure you have a lot to do around here, but I can tell mother and father have been missing you, and they can't just simply take a trip to Skyrim like I can."

"Yeah I have. I was actually going to a few weeks back but... Something came up." She sighed. "Being a province's living legend has its downsides, I guess. I'll get there someday though. How have our parents been doing? The only thing I got from Alrandal when we met in Solitude was 'well'."

"Right, you did mention speaking with him recently. I didn't know he was in Skyrim."

She rolled her eyes. "Thalmor business. We happened to run into each other while I was attending a ball."

"A... Ball? You?"

"Yeah, exactly what I thought when she flashed the invitation in my face," Bishop said before taking a bite of his food.

"Anyways..." She glared at the Nord. "How are they?"

"Everything has been fine in our little corner of Grahtwood. The Dominion's presence has increased significantly, which isn't a surprise considering our proximity to Elden Root, but that wasn't causing any problems last time I checked." He then smirked. "You know, I think some of those Thalmor wizards are a little jealous of mother's gifts in magic."

"Tch. Of course. They're being shown up by a lowly Bosmer in abilities that come naturally to  _their_ race." She cackled at the thought. "It's good to hear that everyone seems to be doing well back home, and not just in the Nightgroves' way of 'well'."

"Nightgroves?" Bishop asked, unfamiliar with the name.

"Alrandal's family," Valdras replied. "I'm sure you know of him, at least. I suppose his family is practically Valenwood nobility."

"Oh,  _fantastic._ No wonder I didn't like the guy the moment I saw his smug little face."

"Um..?"

Wyllin shook her head. "Don't worry about him, brother. He gets like that sometimes."

"Ah, well... Alright then. Oh! I brought a gift for you, by the way. I was surprised to see it being sold in the Imperial City by a traveling Bosmer merchant the last time I stopped there." He reached into his travel bag and pulled out a glass bottle and handed it off to his sister, who then looked it over with a curious expression. "I figured it's been a while since you've had Jagga. Tastes just like it does back home."

That immediately had a smile forming on her face. "Gods, it's definitely been a long time. You don't see anyone selling this kind of stuff in Skyrim."

"The fuck's a Jagga?"

"It's an alcohol brewed in Valenwood." She uncorked the bottle and took a swig. Admittedly, the taste caught her off guard after all those years, but it still brought a much needed sense of nostalgia with it. A hand was brought up to her mouth and she giggled. "Yep, it's just like what I remember." Her eyes then turned to Bishop. "Want to try?"

As the Nord reluctantly took the bottle, Valdras furrowed his brow. "Uh, I should warn you that..."

Before he could continue, Bishop took a sip from the contents. His eyes widened and he started to gag. The response had Wyllin laughing so hard that she nearly dropped the bottle when she took it back. "What's even in this shit?!"

Valdras sighed and the interaction between the two. Yes, this woman was definitely the same Wyllin he knew back home. "Traditionally, fermented honey and pig's milk."

"What?!"

"Many of the wood elves in Valenwood still uphold the very basics of the Green Pact. That comes with the inability to harm vegetation within the borders of the province, so we get by on what can be produced from animals. Its led to some... Very creative ideas."

"There's concoctions that are viewed as worse to outsiders though. Fermented meat juices, animal fat, rotten meat, congealed blood... We have interesting tastes." The look Bishop was giving the two of them amused her to no end. "The honeymead from Willowgrove is nice though, and probably the most 'normal' thing made. Much better than the swill you Nords like to drink."

"Hey!"

She just grinned and then took another sip from the bottle before corking it. "Anyway, thank you for the gift, Valdras."

"You're welcome, sister."

"By the way, how long will you be staying in Skyrim?"

"I'm not too sure. I'll need to return home eventually, but it won't be for a while. I think that I would like to explore these lands for a little while before I go, if you'd be interested in taking me along."

"Of course! It's been so long since we've gone on an adventure. I know so many places that you'd love to see!"

"Really now?" He smiled.

The two continued to talk as they finished their meals. The drink Wyllin had offered Bishop had him lose his appetite for the evening, and he just quietly listened to the siblings. At least she was happy. After cleaning up, she decided to turn in early. Valdras was shown the way to the guest room before she headed into the master bedroom to change and then pass out. That left the visiting Bosmer and the Nord alone downstairs.

"So, you're this brother I've heard so much about?" Bishop asked when the elf made his way back down the steps.

"Yes. I'm very close with Wyllin." He settled back down at the table. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to speak with you personally for a while before turning in."

"About what?"

"I just want to know how she's been. She acted very spritely, but I know her well. It's easy for me to tell that things are weighing on her, even if she tries her best to deny it."

The Ranger sighed. "Honestly, I'm really not sure how much I want to tell you. She might trust you completely, but you're still a stranger to me. One that nearly shot an arrow into her head."

He frowned. "I can assure you that if hitting her  _was_ my intention, I wouldn't have missed, but I'd never do anything to intentionally bring harm to my family, especially my sisters."

 _'Sisters'_..? Bishop's mind turned back to the night when she was explaining her issues with a sibling. How she was betrayed by one. Was that the 'Cyliel' she'd accidentally brought up earlier? "Well, my trust needs to be earned, and it doesn't come easily."

"She seems to trust you, and I expect you do the same for her. That's enough for me. Perhaps you could one day extend that same trust to her family, but I won't push it." This guy was almost  _too_ polite.

"As long as you don't act like that Alrandal guy she was talking to back in Solitude, I think I can at  _least_ tolerate you."

"Ah, so you were there for that then? Yes, their history is complicated to put it lightly. I'm aware that the emotions he felt for her haven't faded in the slightest, even though she's chosen to move on from it all. I apologize if he acted foolish around you. It's clear that you and her have a connection."

"A connection?"

"I know my little sister better than anyone, Bishop. I see the way she looks at you, and how she acts towards you. Despite how she might appear at first, she's not as carefree around most."

"And how exactly do you feel about that?" Why did he even care? Even if this guy happened to be her brother, his approval didn't mean a damn thing to the Nord.

"It doesn't matter how I feel. You don't need my blessing either. She's happy with you. That's all I care about." He then stood up again. "I should get some rest. It's been a long journey. I look forward to traveling with you and her." With that, he headed up the stairs and into the room his sister had shown him.

Bishop eventually headed up as well. He quietly entered the room and stripped out of his clothing. The moment he'd laid down next to her, she shifted around and curled up against him.

"I just want you to know my brother has the best intentions at heart," She mumbled sleepily.

"You heard that, eh?"

"Not in detail, but it wasn't hard to discern what you two spoke about." A hand moved to his stubbled cheek and she shifted to kiss his jawline. "Try not to be so hard on him."

"No promises."

She sighed, but didn't really have the energy to argue with him. Instead, she just pressed her head up against him and mumbled a goodnight before passing out.


	26. A Troubled Past

_(A/N: Warning for depictions of gore later on in the chapter!)_

It'd been a few days since Valdras arrived. They mostly spent it either by Lakeview or out in the wilds. Try as her brother might to be friendly, Bishop never really returned the gesture, much to the sister's disappointment.

Wyllin had taken her sibling to meet the Companions at one point. He was admittedly kind of put off by Vilkas and Farkas at first. The former had a pretty commanding voice, while the other had an intimidating presence. Aela wasn't  _as_  bad, but definitely still unnerving. She seemed fairly impressed by the Bosmer's skills in archery, even if his expertise wasn't much of a surprise. She was oddly flirtatious with him throughout the day, much to the amusement of the Harbinger. Athis and Bryete had settled into their roles as Circle members fairly well. Apparently they'd been working hard with Aela to take out any remaining Silver Hand the guild would come across.

Things at Jorrvaskr as a whole were pretty lively that day, full of drinking and songs about battles the Companions had fought. Wyllin and Valdras had even danced together to an upbeat tune for the group at one point, earning laughter from everyone around them as the latter stumbled over his own feet and had to be balanced on them again by his sister. Bishop struck down any attempts she'd made to get him to join in, much to her displeasure. By the end of it all, the sun had completely set. Valdras was offered a temporary place to sleep in Jorrvaskr while Wyllin retired to her own room with Bishop.

The tipsy little elf was more than a little handsy with her lover in private, and he fully welcomed the attention. While she seemed very willing to take things further, it was pretty apparent that she was tired, given the fact she practically passed out on top of him at one point. Eventually, she settled with just curling up next to him, half naked, and falling asleep in his arms.

Hangovers were fought the next day by a good portion of the guild. Valdras had remained sober due to his distaste for plant-based alcohols. Wyllin and Bishop weren't as lucky, but eventually got over it. The midday sunlight was definitely brutal for the two though. Vilkas had mentioned a small group of bandits giving Riverwood trouble, so she decided to head out there with the two. When they stopped by the markets, she decided to get supplies. Just as she was about to head into Arcadia's store, a voice came out from behind her that caught her attention.

"Dragonborn?"

She turned to see a somewhat surprised Delphine. Instantly, the elf gave her a rather cold look. "Yes?"

"It's been a long time. Word about you jumping on the back of a dragon and flying off got back to us. Gods. It's good to see you're okay. Why haven't you visited Sky Haven?"

"Because I don't want anything to do with the Blades." Well, at least she was blunt about it.

Delphine frowned at her words. "What do you mean?"

"You really don't remember High Hrothgar? What you tried to tell me to do to Paarthurnax?"

The Breton crossed her arms. "I'm still standing firm on that, Dragonborn."

"And I'm not going to do it."

"He  _deserves_ to die."

While Valdras only stared at the two in confusion, Bishop could tell things were about to get heated if the last conversation they had was anything to go by. He reached out for Wyllin. "This woman isn't worth your breath, ladyship."

She swatted his hand away. "You don't know him, Delphine. He's helped me. He's  _shown_ that he can change -  _has_ changed - dragon or not."

"Changed?" Delphine laughed bitterly. "There's no such thing as a changed dragon. He's done unspeakable things in the past."

"Yeah? Well, I  _don't_ care. I consider him an ally. In fact, I'm finding that certain dragons are  _worthy_ of being my allies."

"What? You can't possibly be serious."

"I'm  _dead_ serious. Dragons are beginning to bow to the power of my Voice, Delphine. They know I was the one who took on Alduin and defeated him. They're recognizing me as their better."

"You're delusional! We're talking about  _dragons,_ your  _worst_ enemies. The very beings Dragonborns like you have sought to kill! How do you not know this isn't some kind of ploy to build up your trust?"

The elf growled at her. For a moment, it looked as though she was about to shout this woman out of the city walls. No. She needed to control herself. After taking a deep breath, she spoke again in a low and stern tone. "I don't have time for this. If you think I'm dishonoring your order by not killing Paarthurnax, then I want nothing to do with the Blades. It's kind of hilarious though, considering  _you're_ dishonoring them by acting this way towards me, the Dragonborn, the one they revered in their time." She waved her hand dismissively. "But that doesn't matter. Crawl back to your temple and rot. I have better things to be doing."

Delphine was stunned for a second. As Wyllin was turning to leave, she regained herself and spoke again. "Dragonborn, wait."

She glared at the woman. "What now?"

"I... I apologize. I've been irrational." She looked as though those words shattered her ego. They probably did. "You're right. We are sworn to follow the Dragonborn and respect his or her wishes. You have chosen to trust Paarthurnax, and we have no say in the matter." She took to a knee and bowed her head. "I stepped out of line. Please forgive me."

Wyllin's two companions stared at the scene, stunned by what they saw before them. The Dragonborn just stared down at the kneeling Blade with her arms crossed. She hid the sense of satisfaction that she'd gotten from the sight of Delphine kneeling with a hardened scowl. "Very well, your apology is accepted. Try not to anger me again."

The Blade stood back up. "There is the matter of what to do with the order now."

"I'll think about that. Just return to the temple and discuss things with Esbern for the meantime. I have other things to be doing right now."

"Of course, Dragonborn." She bowed politely and then dismissed herself after brief goodbyes were shared between the two.

"Wow. You really do have a way with words, ladyship. Didn't think that boar-headed woman could have any sense talked into her."

The Bosmer looked back at Bishop and smirked. "Most come to respect my wishes in the end if they want to avoid my Thu'um. You should know this by now, Ranger." She then made her way past him and her brother. "Anyway, I have a few more stops to make, then we can head out to where Vilkas asked us to go. Ready to put those skills to the test on something more than a deer or archery target, Val?"

Valdras smirked at her comment. "They won't see what's coming to them."

Her brother had meant it when he said those words. There was a good amount of brigands at their camp. It really wasn't a surprise that they were hassling a small town like Riverwood, but three trained archers and a vicious half-tamed wolf were more than a match for them. It was admittedly stunning to see Valdras at work. His skills as a Jaqspur were on par with Alrandal's back in Solitude.

Time had flown by a bit faster than they'd anticipated and it was settled that they'd camp out in the forests and return to Jorrvaskr the next day. They sat around by the fire for a good while, eating and chatting with one another. Well, the siblings did most of the talking. Occasionally, Wyllin would throw in a jab at Bishop, which then brought on playful bickering and teasing.

The sun had sunken well below the horizon by the time they decided to call it a night. Bishop was the first to pass out, and then Valdras, leaving Wyllin allow by the slowly dying fire. Despite how late it was, she wasn't tired in the slightest, which wasn't out of the ordinary. Eventually, she decided to get up and head out to the nearby river, apparently disturbing her brother's sleep in the process.

When he approached her, she was sitting on a rocky outcropping by the edge of the water, staring into the distance. "Having trouble sleeping?"

"It never gets easier. There are times where I can, but..."

"Your beast blood, I know." Valdras took a seat next to her. "I still don't understand why you took on that 'gift' that Daedric Prince offered you."

One of her hands moved to the amulet she carved and brushed a finger over the engraved stag's head. "You know  _exactly_  why I did, even if you don't understand. Hircine promised to guide me if I swore to follow him, and he did. He brought me to the Companions. You've met them, and you've seen how they changed me. I'm... Not the person I was when we lost Cyliel."

He sighed. "Yes, I can tell you've changed, even if I don't agree with what you did to achieve that. It's hard to imagine that you've managed to settle down in the process, however."

Her brow furrowed and she looked over to him. "Settle down?"

Her brother chuckled. "It's not hard to tell you've caught emotions for that Nord, Wyll." His head gestured back towards the camp. "I've known you for too long to miss the signs. I've seen how you act with him, how close you are to him. I'm happy for you, even if he and I don't really agree with one another. He's good for you."

The expression on her face softened, and she looked down to the ring on her finger. "It's been a long while since I've felt this way towards someone. I was genuinely scared when I thought I lost him a while back, even if I hid that behind anger. It felt like a part of me had died."

"We all do things we regret. No one is perfect, man or mer. The important thing is that you didn't lose him." He patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't dwell on the past, sister. Bosmer live in the now."

"You're right..." She leaned in and side-hugged the other Bosmer. "It's crazy though. If you told me the day I walked into him at the Sleeping Giant Inn that I'd find myself so tangled up in emotions for him, I would've laughed in your face. Now, I don't know..."

"You'll just have to see what the future holds. Don't jump on things too hastily. Remember what happened with Alrandal."

"Yeah... How could I forget?" She rolled her eyes. Memories of her previous flame began to come back, but she pushed them to the side. No, she didn't need to think about him. "Everything feels so surreal. I think I'm going to go on a walk and clear my head. Alone. It might help me sleep a little better."

"That sounds like a good idea. Take your bow just in case."

"Like I'd ever leave without that thing. It's served me well all these years. I'll have to send my thanks to the one who crafted it for me." She smirked over at him.

He smiled back. "I'm sure he'd be happy to hear that."

"Thanks for listening, Val."

"No problem, sis."

She stood up and headed back to the camp to grab her weapons. Once her daggers were strapped to her sides and her quiver and bow were on her back, she headed out into the forest.

* * *

 

"You let her do  _WHAT?!_ " Bishop practically roared at a very confused Valdras.

"She just said she wanted to go for a walk. I didn't expect her to be out all night." The Bosmer shook his head. "She's more than capable of handling herself, you know."

"Of course she is. Fuck, if this was the Reach, or Eastmarch, or fucking  _Winterhold,_ I wouldn't have cared nearly as much, but this place is... It's different, okay? This place is  _way_ too close to Falkreath." As he talked, he looked around for his jacket and then tugged it on.

"What's wrong with Falkreath?"

The Nord groaned. "I'm not going to get into that with you."

"Bishop, this is my  _sister_ we're talking about. If her life is on the line..."

"Right, right. Fuck... It's too much to explain right now. I just know people there. They don't like me and will take every chance they can to make my life a living hell,  _including_ fucking with people I care about. If they get their hands on her..."

"And why do you think she'd have trouble with them? She's taken up dragonslaying as a hobby."

"Because these guys actually have some semblance of intelligence, unlike those flying lizards." He strapped his quiver over his shoulder and reached for his bow. "I barely got away from them years back and have been avoiding them like the plague ever since. I know how they act though. They're cunning and manipulative, and she's way too helpful for her own damn good. They'll take advantage of that."

As Bishop continued to speak, Valdras grew increasingly restless. "Maybe you're right. I'm sorry. If I had known..."

"It's fine. I know you wouldn't intentionally throw her into harm's way." He whistled over to Karnwyr, who ran right to his side. He then grabbed Wyllin's bag, which she'd left behind, and allowed the wolf to sniff it. He handed the bag off to Valdras and then pointed a finger out into the forest. "Find her." The wolf did as he asked and the other two quickly abandoned the camp to follow him.

It'd been a good hour or so before they actually came across something promising. Karnwyr had stopped a little ways away from a walled camp. Upon closer inspection, it was easy to tell exactly who inhabited it.

Valdras was the first to state it. "Bandits."

"Yes," Bishop replied.

"Karnwyr led us here, and they're not dead."

"Yep."

"So that means... Y'ffre preserve us." The Bosmer drew his bow. "We need to get in there and find her."

"Split up. I'll go right, you go left. Come on, Karnwyr." Bishop motioned for his wolf to follow him, and Valdras went the other direction. It didn't take long for the Nord to come across a sight he  _didn't_ want to see. She was there, tied up by a tree with a cloth gag around her mouth to keep her from shouting. Well, she was alive at least, and they weren't... Gods. He didn't want to think about that. He was too focused those thoughts to realize Karnwyr had started to growl as someone approached, however.

"Well, well. So the tales are true!" A Dunmer bandit cackled, catching Bishop's attention. "When the boys heard about the  _Dragonborn_ herself traveling with some scruffy Ranger and his pet wolf, none of us wanted to believe it was you." Before he could even think of a way to silence the bandit, he was already drawing the attention of everyone around. "Lookie here boys! The dashing prince Bishop has come to rescue his damsel in distress." That brought a few laughs from others in the group.

Wyllin's eyes turned to the stunned Nord. She struggled against her bindings, but only managed to tighten them further around herself in the process. Gods, why wasn't she able to transform? Even if Bishop saw it, that was her only way out at that point.

"Let her-"

The Dunmer interrupted him. "Or maybe he hasn't. Maybe this was all a clever way to win back the favor of Thorn. You know, the Dragonborn would be quite the prize for him."

The thought had Bishop growling. "Not a damn chance. I'll never let that disgusting asshole lay a finger on her."

"Oh? And just what do you plan to do about it? There's a whole group of us and only one of you. Like it or not, he'll have his way with that wench in any way he damn well pleases. Maybe, if he's merciful, he'll put you down so you don't have to watch."

From off to the side, Bishop could see the rustling of leaves. Valdras sat there with his bow readied. "I think you have a problem here, buddy."

"And just what would that be?"

"I'm not alone." The Nord waved towards the Bosmer hidden with the trees. The bandit that'd been speaking didn't even get a chance to turn around before an arrow planted itself into his neck. He fell to the ground and coughed up blood. As he did so, Bishop approached him.  _"No one_ speaks about her like that. Karnwyr!" The wolf charged and tore into the bandit. As that happened, the others sprung into action.

From the tree, Valdras aimed at them. For anyone who didn't know of his Jaqspur training, it looked like there was a squad of archers nestled in the area. As he fired into the group, Bishop made his way over to the bound up elf. After kicking one enemy out of the way and driving his dagger into another, he finally reached her. He quickly cut her free of her bindings and pulled the gag off of her mouth.

"Bishop!" She gasped as he helped her up.

"Not now. We have some assholes to take care of. Go find your weapons."

She nodded and dashed off. When she did, Bishop headed back into the fray. It wasn't long before she joined in as well. There was a certain amount of brutality behind her attacks. She was pissed, and for good reason. Skyforge steel ripped into the bandits who dared to get too close to her. One of them had a dagger driven forcefully into his side, and then sliced a good way through his lower torso. It didn't take long for him to bleed out. When it was all said and done, she stood over the bandit's body, breathing heavily as she tried to compose herself. That proved almost impossible to do.

Bishop approached the bloodsoaked elf. "Wyllin-"

Her gaze shot towards him. He could see that her eyes had changed to that bright yellow hue. She stormed over to him and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him down to eye level. "What the everloving  _FUCK_  was all of that?! How did they know you?!"

"Calm dow-"

 _"NO._  I'm  _not_ going to calm down. If you heard the way they spoke about me... The things they said they'd  _do_ to me... Disgusting fucking  _animals._ " She sneered, showing off her sharpened teeth. "You're going to tell me  _everything._ I think I deserve it after that."

"I will." He reached up to grab her wrist. "Just fucking let me go first."

She released him and pulled her arm from his grasp. "Tell me. Now."

The Nord sighed. "I told you before. I know people around here.  _Bad_ people. I made the mistake of associating myself with them when I was younger and far stupider."

"You associated yourself with  _bandits?"_

"Yes. As I said, I was young and stupid. It was an extremely low point in my life, one I'd rather forget. Seems like that's never going to happen though." Maybe it was for the best. Did he really  _deserve_ to forget about..? "The group's led by a bastard named Thorn. He's... Not someone you want to meet, and deserves to be put down like the rabid dog he is."

Wyllin crossed her arms. "I gathered that much from what I heard about him."

"They spoke about him? Of course they did. Anyway, he's disgusting. Every time I hear his name, it comes with a story about another wench being raped... Or tortured... Or murdered. Fuck, maybe all three. The man's diseased in the head and I  _never_ saw eye to eye with him. He reminds me too much of... Of someone I knew a long time ago. Pretty sure he still wants me dead too."

"Sounds like a positively  _charming_ individual." The venom that dripped from those words were something Bishop was certain he never heard from her before. That combined with the yellow coloration of her eyes left him more than concerned. "I think he needs to rot in Oblivion for the shit he's pulled."

"Oh I'd love for nothing more than that, princess. The problem is him and his crew aren't like normal bandits. They're as cunning and brutal as they are repulsive."

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Woah, slow down there. We need to think this through."

"No, we need to  _do_ something. Gods... Those disgusting pigs. If you'd shown up even minutes later, they probably would've..." She was practically shaking by that point. Bishop pulled her close to him. For some reason, his embrace didn't provide the comfort it usually brought. She pushed back from him. "You're not talking me out of this. That repulsive creature needs to be put down, and I'll  _gladly_ be the one to do it, with or without you."

"You don't even know where he  _is_."

"It shouldn't be too hard to find out from what I overheard. On top of that, all I need to do is follow the stench of a diseased animal. Don't try and stop me, Bishop." She turned and dashed off into the forest. When he tried to follow her, she was already gone.

"I wouldn't try to stop her," A voice warned him. He turned around to see a very concerned Valdras.

"What are you talking about? She's going to get herself into a lot of trouble."

"When Wyllin has her mind set on something the way she has it now, she's going to see it through. You're better off joining her in this. You know where Thorn is holed up at, yes?"

"I know the last place I remember him hiding out."

"Then let's go. If we're lucky, we'll be able to catch up to her there."

There wasn't any sort of way for him to get himself out of this. Maybe it was better to just tie up loose ends and take down Thorn once and for all. He led Valdras to the hideout, which still looked inhabited, undoubtedly by the same group he'd once been a part of all those years ago. From off to their side, another figure emerged. She practically appeared from the shadows of the dense forest.

"Wyllin," Bishop called out, which immediately caught her attention.

"Don't try and stop me."

"I'm not going to. If you're so adamant about taking him out, then we're doing this together. I'd love nothing more than to see this bastard's head rolling on the floor."

Those words had her smirking. She walked over to him. Thank the gods that her eyes had changed back to their normal color. She'd need to be in a clearer headstate if they were going after this guy. "Come on. Guess we have more bandits to kill."

"There's been a lot of those recently." She looked over to Valdras. "Stay out here. Make sure none of them get out. We don't need too many people trying to barge it at once."

"Fine by me." Valdras turned and started to climb up a nearby tree.

"Ready to go then, prince?" Wyllin asked.

Bishop turned to her and shot her a devilish smile. "More than ready, princess." With that, the two bolted inside, with Karnwyr following closely behind. They left a bloodbath in their wake. The Bosmer viciously tore into anyone she could get her hands on with Karnwyr by her side. Bishop stood back and shot down anyone who tried to get the upper hand on her. She really let her inner brutality show upon any bandit who dared to step too close to her. They plowed their way through the lair until they reached a door. The two of them looked at each other and silently knew who waited just beyond.

"Are you okay?" She asked the clearly tense Nord.

"Of course I am. It's just been a long time. I never wanted to see this pig's face ever again."

"Well, now you'll be able to see how it looks with his head neatly severed from his body."

"I'm definitely looking forward to that."

"Then let's go." She watched as he stepped up and kicked the door open.

It was apparent that Thorn was waiting for them. Despite the fact they'd clearly ripped through the entirety of his bandit group, he didn't look at all fazed by their presence. "Well, well. Look who decided to show his face, boys!" He grinned at Bishop, but then turned to the one accompanying him. "It seems he's come bearing a gift as well. A peace offering perhaps? I can't wait to tear that armor off her tempting body."

The Bosmer looked repulsed by his words. The way she scrunched up her nose proved it. "So, you're Bishop's... Old friend?"

"Friend?" That had the bandit leader laughing. "Oh no, little mouse. Far from it, in fact."

From off to her side, Bishop spoke. "You've got it all wrong, Thorn. She's not a mouse. I'd say she's much more like a dragon, if anything." The words had her smirking at him.

"A dragon?" He scoffed. "No, Bishop. She's a woman. A soft and delicate little mouse, meant to serve a purpose. A purpose she  _will_ serve in my furs tonight, whether she wants to or not." The way he spoke about her like she wasn't there pissed her off to no end. Before she could get a word in, Bishop chimed in first.

"I see your skills in observation haven't changed in the slightest since we've last spoken. You're still blinded by your own disgusting image, aren't you?" Her companion slowly made his way towards the bandit as he spoke, dagger drawn.

"Well, it was my own image that defeated you, was it not?" That had the Ranger growling. "You claim to be one of the best out there, but the truth is you're just a pathetic, scared little rodent, not unlike your friend here."

"I'm nothing like how I was. You, on the other had, haven't changed a bit. You're still the vain animal you were seven years ago."

"Vain animal? Coming from you, the  _'man'_  that cares about no one but himself and his own selfish desires. Hilarious." Thorn chuckled and shook his head. "Why don't we take a closer look at our mouse here." He examined the elf, and his gaze had her sick to the stomach. "Oh my. What have we here? Is this the Dragonborn herself?"

His use of her title had her blood freezing in her veins. "How could you know that?"

"I'm no fool. A little Bosmer walks in dressed fully in armor made of dragon bones and scales? It's not hard to tell who you are, little mouse."

Her hands balled into fists. "Stop calling me that!"

"Oh, and she has a sharp tongue too? I can fix that easily." He returned his eyes to Bishop. "Well, this is  _definitely_ a peace offering." He began to circle the other Nord, looking over him closely. "The stories of how I conquered the mighty Dragonborn herself will be told for ages to come. Then, once I'm finally done with her, I'll bring her in and claim the price on her head." His voice lowered. "That gold could have us set for life, Bishop." 'Us'? What did he mean by that?

"Is that so?" Bishop asked.

"It is! I should thank you for presenting her to me."

Wyllin was about to draw her bow. She wanted nothing more than for this to be done and over with by that point. The way he spoke of her made her want to puke. Just as her fingers brushed against her weapon, however, she was stopped by Bishop's next words.

"And what do I get out of this?"

What? Did she hear that right? Did he really just say that? She stood there in shock, unable to move, or say anything.

Thorn grinned. "There he is. That man from seven years ago was still in there somewhere. Perhaps I'll let you have your fun with her as well, after me and the boys are done of course!"

"Really now?" He looked over to Wyllin, and then gestured with his eyes to Thorn. Whatever message he was trying to go through with that was lost on her. Shit... He needed to put an end to this.

"Well, you deserve to be rewarded as well for bringing her here, don't you?"

No. No no  _no!_  This couldn't be happening. He couldn't really... Just like that..? Bishop wasn't able to form his next response. All eyes were turned towards the elf as she cried out in a deep, inhuman - or, well,  _inelven_ \- voice.  _"I'LL SEND YOU BASTARDS TO THE HUNTING GROUNDS! YOU'LL BE PREY FOR LORD HIRCINE FOR THE **REST OF ETERNITY!** "_ She then hunched over and began to change form. Eyes turned yellow. Teeth and nails grew sharper. Armor and weapons melted into darkening skin, which soon covered itself in fur. She grew a good foot or two in height. Soon enough, there was a large, menacing figure in the place Wyllin once stood. The beast's eyes narrowed at Thorn and Bishop, and she snarled at the both of them.

"Werewolf!" One of the bandits cried out. "Kill the damned thing! Kill it!"

Anyone who dared to attack her was ripped apart without mercy. Blood spewed forth. Flesh was torn from bone. Innards were devoured. Her lust for blood seemed to have no end. Her attention was eventually turned towards Thorn when his men were taken out. He stared at her with his weapon drawn, gripping tightly onto its handle. A single swipe was made at her, which bit into her left arm. The roar that came after that had him freezing in his place, and that sign of weakness drove her beast wild. She tackled him to the ground and sunk her claws into his flesh.

Bishop couldn't even watch the scene before him, regardless of how much he hated the guy. Thorn was ripped apart and devoured by the werewolf, slowly and painfully. His face was clawed up, his chest was ripped open. Sickening cries came from the bandit leader before he was eventually silenced by her sharp canines biting into his neck and tearing his throat out. By the time she was through with him, there wasn't much left of him at all, aside from a pile of bones and torn up viscera. When she was finished with him, her golden eyes turned towards the Ranger. She stared him down with blood dripping from her soaked maw. It was clear that she wasn't done.

"Wyllin, please." He raised his hands. "Don't do this."

She bounded towards him and knocked him off of his feet, clearly not hearing his words. He managed to turn his face just before her claws sunk into his skin, leaving three deep scratches running along the side of his right cheek. In that moment, he feared for his life. She was going to  _kill_ him. Why did he have to say those words? Why did he have to act so stupid? All he was doing was buying her time...

As her hand raised to strike again, both of his found their was to either side of her face. They ran through her bloodsoaked fur as she stared him dead in the eyes. "Wyllin... I-it's me. It's Bishop." For the first time in an extremely long while, he was on the verge of tears. "I love you. Listen to me. Please c-calm down."

She should've torn into him. He was weak and pitiful in the position she had him in. Helpless prey meant to be torn apart and devoured. It should've driven her crazy and had her thirsting for his blood. She was stopped by something, however. She could feel that anger that'd been coursing through her veins draining away as her bloodlust drew to an end. Her arm fell to her side and her head lowered, eyes closing when it did. He saw her form begin to change back. Claws and sharpened fangs returned to normal. Fur fell away to reveal her typical elven form, armor and weapons back where they were before. She crumpled into his lap, hand grasping at her wounded arm. When her eyes fluttered open again, they were their normal green color.

"Bishop..." She mumbled as she tried to focus her eyes. Everything was blurry.

His arms wrapped around her. "Gods... I thought you were..."

She couldn't hear what he said after that. Her sudden transformation had taken a toll on her body. It wasn't long before she blacked out completely.


	27. Embracing Destiny

_(A/N: A small flashback chapter, briefly detailing the events surrounding Wyllin becoming Dragonborn. Enjoy!)_

When Wyllin had woken up that day, she hadn't quite expected to come face to face with a  _dragon,_ of all things. Yet, there she was, just outside what was at that point the charred remains of Helgen. Her and Vilkas had taken cover when they heard a loud roar from inside. When whatever had caused it finally left, it sailed north-west on great, dark wings. She almost couldn't believe what she saw. While she stared on, dumbfounded, the Companion to her left had finally processed what was going on.

"Dragon," He stated, completely dumbfounded.

"What?" She looked over at him. "No, can't be. Those things died off ages ago, didn't they?"

"We all wanted to think that. Seems like we were wrong, however. I wonder where this one's been hiding all these centuries."

"I kind of don't want to know. Come on. We were sent here to investigate." She made her way out from behind the large outcropping of rock they'd hidden behind. "There might be survivors." They headed in, completely unprepared to to discover the sight before them when the gate was opened. Destroyed buildings, fire, burnt corpses. Everything was a complete disaster. "By the Gods..."

"Are you sure there will even  _be_ survivors?"

"Well, we have to check." She walked further in with Vilkas in tow. They narrowly escaped getting trapped under a collapsing part of a tower. Eventually, she came across something. There was a tattered journal under a pile of ash that clearly used to be a body. She picked it up and examined it. "Imperial notes on the situation before this all happened. Ulfric was captured along with a few other Stormcloaks near the entrance to Pale Pass. Apparently he was about to be executed..." The next few pages were burnt after that. After the journal was closed and placed back down, she scanned the area. "Maybe we should check the Keep."

"You lead and I'll follow, Harbinger."

The Keep was pretty much empty, save for a few soldiers and badly injured townspeople. Vilkas offered to stay behind and aid whoever he could while Wyllin pressed further in. There wasn't many more outside of the ones she'd seen in the beginning other than dead Imperials and Stormcloaks. The sight was saddening, to say the least. Soon enough, she made her way to an exit into a cave, which eventually led to two living faces.

The one, an Imperial, recognized her as a Companion. He introduced himself as Hadvar and told her what he could of the events that transpired. Both he and the Stormcloak he was previously bickering with were relieved to find out the dragon had left.

"Were there any other survivors than the ones in the Keep?"

"No, not that we could see. We tried our best to aid whoever we could but..."

"It's alright. You all did what you could. Glad to see you put aside your differences for the most part." She headed over to the Stormcloak, who'd all but collapsed on the ground, clutching at his injured side. "Here, let me see that."

"It's just a burn, Companion. I'll be fine."

"At least let me give you something for it." She reached into her side pouch and produced a small healing potion. It was handed off to him.

The Stormcloak laughed half-heartedly. "Didn't think you'd be so eager to help out one of us."

"I don't see alignments in these times. Don't think any of the survivors above do either. You all faced a damned dragon and lived to tell about it, after all. You deserve all the help you can get."

"Fair enough." He knocked back the potion after managing to uncork it, nose scrunching at the bitter taste. Soon enough, the effects began to kick in. "Much better. Thank you..."

"Wyllin."

"Ah. Thank you, Wyllin. Name's Ralof, by the way." When he got back to his feet, he gladly followed her and Hadvar out of the cave. The both of them settled on a temporary truce and decided to part ways. Ralof went to see if Ulfric escaped, while Hadvar agreed to accompany Wyllin to Riverwood so she could speak with his uncle.

Alvor was quick to allow his soot-covered nephew and the Companion inside when they arrived. Hadvar recanted the story of Helgen and the dragon that attacked to the concerned blacksmith. While the soldier stayed behind to recover, Wyllin agreed to travel to Whiterun and speak to the Jarl about the events that transpired.

* * *

 

"Bleak Falls Barrow?" Rayya repeated. She'd remained at Jorrvaskr while her Thane had went to investigate Helgen, and was clearly troubled by the story she heard upon her return. "That's where the wizard up in Dragonsreach asked you to go?"

"Yep. Honestly, this is all crazy. A dragon? Could they really be returning after all this time?"

"Crazier things have happened, m'dame. I do believe you should rest before we go. Even if you didn't need to fight the dragon itself, you still look exhausted from your trip."

"Sounds like a good idea. I want to do this as soon as possible though. We're setting out first thing tomorrow, Rayya."

"As you wish."

They'd rested in the mead hall for the night, but Wyllin was completely unable sleep soundly. Visions of what she'd experienced at Helgen plagued her dreams. That winged beast, the burnt corpses, the look of terror each survivor held on their soot-stained faces. Especially that poor child, who'd undoubtedly lost both of his parents. She'd be seeing all of that each time she closed her eyes for a long while to come. 

When morning rolled around, she felt no more rested than she did the previous night, but she couldn't let that affect her. There were things that needed to be done. Once she was ready, her and Rayya hit the road again. They decided to stop in Riverwood to ask about Bleak Falls Barrow. The residents of the little village were still thoroughly shaken up. The elf's trained ears could pick up on small pieces of their conversations.

_"A dragon? In Helgen? How could this be possible?"_

_"I doubt these guards that were sent can even help us. How are they supposed to face off against a dragon?!"_

_"Do you think the Stormcloaks had anything to do with this? It seems so coincidental for that thing to come around just as Ulfric was to be executed?"_

_"You know the stories. Only the Dragonborn can stop this!" "Yes, but no one bearing the dragon blood has been revealed to us for centuries."_

The uneasiness of the villagers had Wyllin more nervous than before. Rayya tried to reassure her, but that did very little. After asking Alvor about Bleak Falls Barrow, the two quickly set off again, not wanting to linger any further. The barrow was a small ways south from the town. The outside was crawling with bandits, but that was nothing new. It felt like half of Skyrim had fallen into banditry due to the hard times the war had caused. Once they were taken care of, the two quickly made their way further in.

A particular Dunmer bandit they'd saved from a giant spider had caught their attention. He was in possession of a stolen artifact known as the 'golden claw', which apparently had ties to the barrow. When he tried to betray the two and head further in, he was quickly stopped by a small group of draugr. Wyllin pulled the claw and a journal from his corpse after dealing with the undead.

 _"When you have the golden claw, the solution is in the palm of your hands,"_  She repeated to Rayya from the journal. Then she examined the claw. Her brow furrowed. "I suppose that has something to do with the symbols on this. I've never seen anything like it before."

"We'll find out when the time comes, m'dame. For right now, we should continue on."

She nodded and headed further in, making an effort to be careful around the obvious traps along the way. Other than the dragon claw, the rest of the ruins were pretty straight forward. There were traps, draugr, and a few puzzles to be solved. Then they came to the end. The claw came into play, and it was little more than another puzzle designed to keep whatever was on the other side in. When she got past it, they entered into a small cave-like area. At first, it seemed relatively normal, but Wyllin was quickly drawn to one thing in particular.

There was a wall towards the other side of the room. A specific word on it called out to her. When she focused on it, visions quickly filled her mind. She could feel a strange power overcoming her. The moment she opened her mouth in the vision, that power was unleashed, pushing everything in her path out of the way with ease. Not a single enemy or obstacle that stood before her was spared by the sudden blast of pure force. When she finally came back to reality, she felt dizzy.

Rayya quickly caught the small Bosmer and helped her back to her feet. "Are you alright, my Thane? You fell into some type of trance back there."

"Y-yeah... This... I feel as though it's happened before, but in a different way." It was hard for her to recall anything in her state. She could remember a great power like that overcoming her briefly when Farkas was accompanying her in a tomb, though it wasn't quite the same as what she experienced that time. Well, she didn't have long to think on it anyway. From behind, she heard the sound of something loudly busting through a coffin's lid.

Rayya quickly turned and drew her scimitar, and then charged at the draugr that appeared. She managed to distract it long enough for her Thane to regain composure. The moment she did, her bow was drawn. While whatever that'd happened previously left her dazed, it soon filled her with a certain vigor. She and her Housecarl took down the draugr with ease. Once it was over, she examined the coffin it'd busted out of.

"This must be the dragonstone Farengar mentioned." Wyllin picked up the large stone tablet. There were odd markings written on it. Her index finger traced over the engravings. The text was written in the same language on the wall. It must've had ties to the dragons, but she couldn't linger on the thought for too long. "Come on. We should get out of here. This place is... Starting to give me the creeps."

"Right behind you, my Thane."

* * *

 

"Farengar! Come quick!" Irileth called out. "A dragon has been sighted nearby."

"A dragon?" Farengar asked. "How exciting! Where was it at? What was it doing?"

"I'd take this a bit more seriously if I were you. If a dragon has decided to attack the city, I don't know if we can stop it." Her eyes then turned to the confused Bosmer, who'd entered just a few moments before to hand over the tablet she'd retrieved the previous day. "You should come too."

She nodded and followed the others up to the war room, where Balgruuf and his steward were at. A brief conversation with a guard that'd apparently come from the Western Watchtower was had. Jarl Balgruuf had asked Wyllin to accompany Irileth to the watchtower to check up on everything, which she agreed to. She'd already done so much involving these damned lizards, and almost felt invested in them, even if her journey had left her with more questions than answers.

Several guards accompanied Irileth to the watchtower, along with Wyllin and Rayya. The Dunmer examined the sight before her with a frown etched across her features. "There's no sign of the dragon, but it sure looks like he's been here." She turned to the guards. "I know it looks bad, but we need to figure out what happened, and if that dragon is still skulking around somewhere. Spread out and look for survivors. We need to know what we're dealing with."

Wyllin did as Irileth said, with Rayya following closely behind. They searched through the burning remains of the watchtower and eventually came upon a guard.

"No! Get back! It's still here somewhere! Horki and Tor just got grabbed when they tried to make a run for it!"

"Guardsman!" Balgruuf's Housecarl called out. "What happened? Where's this dragon? Quickly now!"

"I-I don't know!" He responded, and then looked towards the skies. "Kynareth save us! Here he comes again!" Irileth responded, but the Bosmer couldn't make it out over the sound of the dragon's roar. She quickly bolted through the tower to get a better view of the dragon.

 _"Zu'u_  Mirmulnir!" The dragon bellowed as he flew close. "Hear my  _Thu'um_  and tremble,  _joorre!"_ As the battle went on, he taunted his opponents. Soon enough, everyone began to realize how much he'd honed onto the Bosmer who continuously struck him with her arrows. His Shouts were destructive and deafening, but it soon became clear that he was no match for the large group that took him on. A well placed arrow from Wyllin eventually put an end to him, and she then quickly dashed down the tower to meet the others.

One of the guards shakily approached the limp body of the winged beast. "Is it finally dead? Did we manage to..." He quickly stumbled back again as the hide of the dragon began to burn up. "What's happening?!"

For some reason, Wyllin was drawn to the scene. As she approached, wisps of colorful light began to surround her. When that happened, her eyes closed, and she began to think back to Bleak Falls Barrow. That wall... That word... It came naturally to her. She began to understand it more clearly. When she opened her eyes again, she looked towards the sky above, compelled to summon this newfound power.  _"FUS."_  A wave of pure force shot out when she uttered that Word. After that, she blinked a few times, clearly surprised by what had just happened.

"I can't believe it!" The guardsman who spoke previously told her. "You're... You're Dragonborn!"

She looked towards him and frowned. "I'm  _what?"_

Another guard spoke. "Dragonborn? What are you talking about?"

"It's true! My grandfather used to tell stories about this legendary hero! He said how the Dragonborn is uniquely gifted in the ability to absorb a slain dragon's life force and steal their power." He turned back to Wyllin. "That's what you did, right? You took that dragon's power?"

"I... I don't know?"

"What you just did was use a Shout! You really must be Dragonborn."

"I think you fools should refrain from flapping your gums on matters you don't understand," Irileth warned, and then proceeded to ignore a comment one of the guards made about her 'not being a Nord'. She turned her attention to the very confused Bosmer. "That was the hairiest fight I've been in, and I've been in more than a few. I don't know about this 'Dragonborn' business, but I'm sure glad you're with us! Anyone who can take down a dragon is more than enough for me."

"Well... I... Thanks?" It was clear that she didn't know how to respond. Everything was happening way too fast for her to process.

"I'm taking command here until we can sort out this mess. You should return to Jarl Balgruuf. He'll want to know what happened here."

"Alright."

"Safe journey, Companion."

Wyllin turned around and started to make her way off to Whiterun. Rayya had caught up to her by that point. She seemed somewhat concerned by the look on her Thane's face. "You appear to be trou-"

Before she could finish, several voices seemed to bellow out the same exact phrase, which echoed throughout the entire hold, shaking the ground in its wake.  _"DOVAHKIIN!"_

"What in the Divines' names?" The elf murmured as she looked around. "Actually, no. I don't want to know that. Come on, we have a Jarl to talk to." She picked up her pace to a brisk jog, with the Redguard doing her best to follow along. When they got there, Balgruuf and several members of his council were speaking about what they heard.

"You heard those voices, what else could it mean? The Greybeards!"

Proventus, the Jarl's steward, spoke up when he noticed Wyllin. "Good, you've finally arrived. Jarl Balgruuf has been waiting for you."

After he said that, the Jarl looked towards her. "So, what happened at the watchtower? Was the dragon there?" She explained the events that transpired, still thoroughly confused by what had happened after the dragon died. Still, she told him everything he wanted to know, and he took a moment to process what she'd said. "So it's true, the Greybeards were summoning you."

She tilted her head. "The... Greybeards?"

"Didn't you hear that thundering sound as you returned to Dragonsreach?" Hrongar, Balgruuf's brother, asked. "That was the Greybeards, masters of the Voice, summoning you to High Hrothgar! This hasn't hasn't happened in... Well... Centuries! Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!"

"Hrongar, calm yourself!" Proventus pleaded. "What does all of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here? Capable as she may be, I don't see any signs of her being this... What? Dragonborn?"

The Imperial's words had Hrongar glaring at him. "Nord nonsense?! Why you puffed up ignorant... These are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the first Empire!"

"Brother, don't be so hard on Avenicci."

"I meant no disrespect, of course." Proventus' smug tone of voice only seemed to anger Hrongar further, but he chose to hold his tongue. "It's just... What do the Greybeards want with her?"

Balgruuf sighed at his steward's question. "That's the Greybeards business, not ours. If they wish to speak with her, then who are we to argue?"

At that point, Wyllin had managed to collect herself enough to speak. "The Dragonborn is a Nordic legend, if what I hear is correct... But I'm a  _Bosmer_ , not a Nord. Why would I be given this power? Why would the Greybeards even want to speak with me?" There was no way she could  _possibly_ be this Dragonborn, regardless of what happened at the watchtower.

The Jarl shook his head. "There's no reason for the Greybeards, let alone Akatosh himself, to judge you based on race. Perhaps selecting an elf to bear this great title is even one of the God's ways to usher in more progressive times in these lands. Regardless, you should go and speak to the Greybeards. Learn what they have to teach you. There is no greater honor in all of Skyrim than to be summoned by the Masters of the Voice themselves!"

"I guess I can if that's what they truly want..."

"Before you go, however, there is the matter of your reward. You've helped my people in greater ways than you can imagine, Dragonborn. By my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun. It is the greatest honor within my power to grant. Please, accept this gift from my personal armory to serve as your badge of office." He gestured for Hrongar to approach. The Nord did so, and produced a rather impressive-looking blade as he did. It was handed off to Wyllin. "It has been held within these palace walls for generations. Some say it was created from the very bones of a dragon held here ages ago. I feel it is only fitting for you to take it."

She unsheathed the blade and examined it. By the Gods, it was  _beautiful_. The blade and hilt were made of polished bone of a creature she'd never seen before, undoubtedly the dragon Balgruuf mentioned. The guard was made of Skyforge steel, which also ran along the center of the blade. The pommel stone was a large, completely flawless ruby. She put the blade back in its sheath and looked towards the Jarl. "I... Can't accept this. I don't even know how to properly use swords."

"Please, Thane, take it as payment for your heroic deed, even if you are unable to use it. On top of that, should you ever need a capable warrior to aid you, I will assign you a Housecarl upon request. You are also now permitted to purchase property within my hold, if you desire to do so. Now, I shouldn't keep you any longer. The Greybeards await."

She sighed, and then bowed her head. "As you wish, my Jarl. I'll take my leave." With that, she turned around.

As she left, she could hear Balgruuf speak. "Back to business, Proventus. We still have a city to keep..."

The blade was displayed proudly in Jorrvaskr upon a plaque in the main hall. She felt it was the only appropriate place to keep it, given the fact she wouldn't have been able to use it. After speaking to Aela and the brothers about the adventure she had and the dragon she fought at the watchtower, she headed out with Rayya. The Greybeards were undoubtedly eagerly awaiting her arrival. Everything was beginning to weigh on her soul. All she could really think for the longest time was a single phrase:

_'Gods, why me?'_

* * *

 

She traveled with Rayya until they reached the border of Whiterun hold. By that point, it was getting dark, and the two decided to break camp. A tent was set up, a fire was built, and the two settled down to eat. To say Wyllin was exhausted was an understatement. She'd gone through so much in the past few days. They blended together and blurred, and nothing really made sense after a certain point. In a way, she was almost beginning to just shut down on the inside.

"You seem troubled, my Thane." The Redguard's voice had the elf coming back to reality. How long had she been scowling at the campfire? "Is it because of what happened with the dragon, or the summons of the Greybeards?"

She looked over towards her Housecarl. It was easy for anyone to see the tiredness in the Bosmer's eyes, even with only the dim light of the fire illuminating her face. Sleepless nights were nothing new for her, but they've only gotten worse since her first brush with a dragon back at Helgen. "I don't know. All of this has been too much for me to process."

"Well, you've gone from being a simple member of the Companions to an ancient Nordic legend over the course of a few days. It would be hard for anyone to process that, m'dame."

"I just can't help but think... Why me? I'm not even a Nord. There isn't a drop of Atmoran ice in my veins! Why would Akatosh bestow this apparent 'legendary Nordic gift' onto some random nobody wood elf? Why not some current Nord hero? Fuck, why not even Ulfric Stormcloak if he didn't have any other ideas?" Anyone but her, really.

"The Gods work in mysterious ways, my Thane. Perhaps he chose you intentionally, or perhaps Jarl Balgruuf was right in his assumption. Regardless, there is a meaning to all of this that you have yet to figure out."

Despite the intention behind Rayya's words, they only frustrated her Thane further. "That's so fucking  _stupid_  though. Why does it have to be shrouded in some kind of mystery? What's the point of that?"

"I can't answer that."

She sighed and shook her head. "Of course you can't. Sorry. I'm just... Thinking out loud. I don't even know if I want to accept this." Honestly, she didn't really want to.

Rayya's brow furrowed. "I fear that you don't have much of a choice, m'dame. We may have not known each other for long, but I can tell you have the bravery and honor to hold such a title, to make the people of this province proud to call you their hero."

Wyllin sighed. "This is all too much to take in at once. What are the Greybeards even going to think when they meet me? If they act anything like the local Nords do towards outsiders, then I'm going to have a real problem on my hands."

"I've heard stories of High Hrothgar and the Greybeards' disconnect from what goes on below. I'm sure they will accept anyone who bears the title of Dragonborn, regardless of their race. Such a thing should matter very little. I suggest that you get some rest and think about this tomorrow. You'll have plenty of time on the road to High Hrothgar."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea. Thanks for hearing me out."

"I'm always here for you, m'dame. I'm sworn to carry your burdens." The Redguard smiled at her, and her Thane offered a weak chuckle in response before standing up and making her way over to the tent. Regardless of her feelings on this new title that was foisted upon her, she knew it was definitely going to be an interesting journey.

Another restless night. Another challenging day. The Seven Thousand Steps to High Hrothgar were more than treacherous. Wolves, Ice Wraiths, a damned  _Frost Troll._ It was all a lot to handle, but she got through it as best as she could. Arngeir, the speaker for the Greybeards, invited her into the temple with open arms after she proved she was apparently the Dragonborn. He did his best to answer the several dozen questions she had, and tried to ease the negativity she had towards this gift she was given. After a few demonstrations of her abilities, he sent her on her way to apparently take on some 'final test' he had planned for her.

Things weren't easy for her to come to terms with over the following few months. Rayya's calming words didn't help at first. Instead, the newly recognized Dragonborn found more comfort in drink whenever she could get it, and her Housecarl often needed to clean up the mess she caused when she was behind an inn and puking her guts out. Soon enough, however, things started to turn around. At first, the elf hated what it began to do to her. She now had expectations to live up to and an example to set. People were cautious when they found out who she was. Even her title of Harbinger of the Companions hadn't caused such a response.

Resentment soon melted into neutrality as she began to slowly embrace her destiny. She'd taken up her normal helpful nature once more after coming to terms with everything for the  _most_  part. The fact no one really expected her to be the Dragonborn when they first met her helped as well. Why would some elf be given such an honor?

Neutrality eventually turned into acceptance - and even pride - by the time she'd met a woman named Delphine, who was apparently a former member of the Blades, an organization who sought to aid the Dragonborn. By that point, Wyllin's abilities had truly blossomed, and her head was held much higher. While part of her still resented the standards she needed to hold herself up to, she fully embraced her skills. Each dragon she slew made her stronger, and each Shout she learned empowered her even further. Still, she never really liked to flaunt her status, and never found much of a reason to anyway.

Delphine proved to be pretty helpful after her trust was earned, even if her personality clashed a little with the Dragonborn's. The assumptions she made about the Thalmor being behind the return of the dragons definitely left Wyllin on edge. It was pretty clear that neither of them were fond of the organization, and they did bond over that fact. When the two parted ways, Wyllin decided to take a break from being everyone's hero while the Blade tried to come up with some scheme to get her into the Thalmor Embassy to find information.

The forests surrounding Riverwood were definitely an inviting way to relieve stress. When was the last time she could simply hunt something that didn't have scales and a breath of fire? Rayya had been dismissed to her house in Falkreath for the time being so she could just take in the beauty of nature on her own. The elf quietly moved through the forests late in the evening, trailing a deer she'd come across. An arrow was readied in her bow so she could shoot the moment she caught sight of her target...


	28. Lamenting

Bishop had walked out of the bandit den with an unconscious Wyllin in his arms. Valdras immediately noticed the two and dashed towards them. Apparently, at some point Karnwyr had burst out of the cave and was now hidden behind a cluster of rocks. Her transformation had scared him shitless. Once they had made their way back to their camp, Bishop explained what had happened. He owed it to her brother to not leave a single detail out. Valdras didn't hide how upset he was by it all.

"That was a foolish thing to do, Bishop."

"I was just trying to distract them so she could attack. They outnumbered us! We didn't have a range advantage either in that small room. If I'd known she was going to transform into some crazy-ass wolf thing, I would've been more tactful about it!"

"You mean she never told you about her beast blood?"

"No. I mean, I knew about that weird eye thing she sometimes did, but that's the extent of it. All she did was say some vague shit about doing it when she was angry."

Valdras let out a frustrated sigh. "Figures she'd keep that from you. She's not ashamed of it, but you can understand  _why_ it's on a need-to-know basis."

"Whatever. That doesn't matter right now. I should've never let her get into this situation. She doesn't need to deal with my past. It's only going to hurt her in the end." It was only going to drive her away from  _him._

"Can I offer you a piece of advice, Bishop?"

"What would that be?"

"Be honest with your past. Don't hide things from her. It'll only get the both of you in further trouble, and neither of you need that. Wyllin is compassionate and she'll try to understand. Keeping things from her is only going to lead to distrust, and that  _will_ cost you in the end. Both of you."

"Why the fuck do you even care anyway?"

"Because you're one of the first good things that's happened to her in a long time."

"Good? I'm fucking  _good_ for her? Look at what her involvement with me brought! So much worse could've happened to her! They could've... They could've harmed her in ways I'd never be able to forgive myself for allowing to happen!"

"Mistakes happen all the time. No one is perfect, man or mer. You tried to do what you thought was best, even if your actions turned out to be the wrong choice. That shows how much you care for her. Don't let the outcome of this distract you from that. The important thing is that she'll need you, now more than ever."

Bishop just grunted. He was getting sick of Valdras' chiding. Yes, he  _knew_ he had to be there for her. He wasn't a fucking idiot. "Stop telling me what I already know. Come on. Her wounds were tended to. We should pack up and get back to her house. I'd feel better with her being there."

"Sounds like a good idea."

* * *

 

Wyllin groggily sat up in the bed of Lakeview's master bedroom, clutching her bandaged up arm. What happened? How long had she been out? She was changed into her night clothes? Who did that? Fuck, how did she even  _get_ to Lakeview? Too many questions were going through her head. She looked around the room and her eyes eventually settled on the sleeping form of Bishop. He sat off in a chair by the bed. Were there bandages on his face? She blinked and squinted a little, trying to get her vision to adjust.

"You're awake?" Someone quietly spoke from off to her side. Valdras. "You've been out for over a day."

She looked over towards him. "What... Happened?"

Her brother moved to sit down at the end of her bed. "I think we should start with what you know."

She sighed and tried to think back. "There were... A few bandits. Well, I didn't  _know_ they were bandits at first. They stopped me while I was on my way through the forest. I didn't realize they weren't normal citizens until it was too late. They knew who I was though, and gagged me so I couldn't use my Thu'um. Then I was disarmed and dragged to some camp somewhere south of Helgen. Then..." She frowned heavily, remembering those things they said to her and how they taunted her. Filthy swine. Valdras simply sat there and waited patiently for her to continue. "They knew Bishop. They called him by name when he showed up with you and Karnwyr." She was racking her brain after that point to remember what happened next. "The bandits mentioned someone a few times... Gods, what was his name?"

"Thorn?"

"Yes, him. Bishop said he knew that sick animal from years ago. I was so angry. I just wanted to put that guy down. After that... We went to his hideout and... I don't know. I can't remember."

"You fought him."

"I did?"

He nodded. "Bishop told me everything that happened in the hideout. He was trying to buy you time so you could take him down. The problem was he said the wrong things. Things you couldn't stand to hear in your state of mind. It overwhelmed you, and you transformed."

Her eyes widened. "I did  _what?"_

"He could describe the scene in graphic detail. You... Didn't go easy on them." He gave a nervous laugh. "Then you turned your anger on him because of what he said to Thorn."

Turned her anger on him? She looked back towards Bishop. The... Bandages. Was that wound from  _her?_  "What could he have possibly said to make me do something like that? I'd never..."

Valdras placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look back to him. "You weren't in your right headspace, Wyll. He tried to distract them. It ended badly, but you're both still alive. That's all you need to know for now."

She sighed. "Yeah, I suppose that's the important part. I think I just... Want to take a break for now. Can you tell Rayya to bring me some tea, and maybe something small to eat as well?"

"Sure thing, sis." He patted her head and then stood up. When he walked out, another voice caught her attention.

"Finally up, princess?" Bishop was looking at her when she turned to face him.

"How long have you been..."

"Long enough." He stood up and walked over to take the place Valdras had been. "I'm just glad to see you're okay. Well, as okay as you  _can_ be."

She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry."

"Tch. I send you into some crazy werewolf rage and  _you're_ apologizing to  _me?"_  He shook his head.

"No, I mean about your face. Can I..."

He sighed and removed the bandage that covered it. "Valdras did his best to heal them. Guess his Restoration magic isn't as powerful as yours."

Wyllin examined what was left of the wound. Three claw marks ran along his right cheek. They weren't bleeding anymore, at least. "These are going to scar up. I don't think even my magic could've saved that."

"Don't worry about it. I kind of deserved that after the shit I pulled."

"What did you even say?"

"Still can't remember? Maybe that's for the best."

She frowned. "Bishop."

"Listen, I was just trying to distract them. Appealing to that sick bastard's nature to lower his guard. I never meant a damn word I said. We were outnumbered six to two, in case you can't remember."

"I could've taken them on without you saying whatever you did to piss me off."

"If they were  _normal_ bandits, sure, but we were dealing with Thorn and his little inner circle. Things could've ended  _very_ badly if they'd gotten the upper hand on us." He groaned. "Listen, it's over and done with. He's dead.  _More_ than dead, and you made it out mostly in one piece. That's all that matters as far as I'm concerned."

"'All that matters'? Bishop, you could've  _died._ I would've never been able to forgive myself if that happened."

"But it  _didn't_ happen. Don't go focusing on what ifs, ladyship."

"Maybe none of this would've happened at all if you would've just been  _honest_ with me about your past. You go on about how you apparently trust me, but then don't let me in on something that could've put my life in danger? After I asked you about it so many damn times?!"

"Says the one who hid her lycanthropy from me! Says the one who didn't tell me that she was Dragonborn! You've kept shit from me in the past too, Wyllin! Don't go preaching about honesty and trust!"

That had her pausing. Her hands balled into fists. "I don't need any of this." She stood up from the bed. This was all too much to take in. She felt like shit and talking to him was only making it worse. She just needed to get away from everything for a while.

Bishop furrowed his brow as she walked over to where her armor was laying. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Out."

"You just woke up. I think you should-"

"I'll be just fine," She hissed, turning back to shoot him a glare. "I need to clear my head. Looks like you won't need to worry about me wandering around Falkreath now, since Thorn's long dead." She laughed bitterly.

"Wyllin, please-"

"Don't." The commanding tone in her voice had him stopping. Once her armor was pulled on, she went for the door, grabbing her bow and quiver along the way. Just as she was about to open it, someone on the other side did so for her.

Her Housecarl stood on the other side, holding a plate of food and a cup of tea. "Valdras said you wanted something to eat, m'dame?"

"I'm not hungry now. Just leave me alone." With that, she stormed off down the steps.

Rayya and Bishop looked at each other. When the former asked what had happened, the latter couldn't even respond. Meanwhile, Wyllin was on her way out of the manor and into the forests. She didn't even know where she wanted to go. She just needed to get out of that house and away from everything.

* * *

 

By the time night had fallen, Bishop had grown restless. He headed out, despite Valdras' wishes for him to leave her alone. This was going to eat away at him until he managed to set things right. She'd apparently decided to settle down at Dead Man's Drink. He found her at a table in the corner of the tavern, clicking her nails against a half empty bottle of ale. Her other hand supported the weight of her head, elbow propped against the tabletop. She was sneering to herself as thoughts rushed through her mind. Despite her dulled senses, she still picked up on footsteps walking over to her. When she turned to see who it was, that sneer worsened.

He sat down next to her. "Wyllin."

"The fuck do you want?" She slurred. It was easy to tell how utterly shitfaced she was.

"To talk."

"Talk?" That had her scoffing. "Ain't nuthin' for us to talk about,  _prince._ " She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her bottle.

"Look, I'm sorry for everything that happened. For getting you into that shitty situation with Thorn. I should've been more up front with you about my past. I  _know_ that now."

"But you didn't before and it got... Got me into that mess. I thought you said you t... Trusted me."

"I did! I still do! I just..." He groaned. "I just didn't want to drag you into my past. I just wanted to forget it all and start over. You were my chance but now it seems like everything's just coming back up again."

She glared at him. "Yah ain't ever gonna learn  _shit_  from your past if you keep on runnin' from it. Maybe you sh... Shoulda faced it like the man you seem to think you are."

"Yes, I should've. The power of hindsight..."

 _"Gods!_ Why are you even 'ere, anyway? I gave you an out. Take it now, before shit gets worse."

"I already told you why I'm here-"

She stopped him. "An' I already told you we ain't got shit to talk about!" She rolled her eyes and took a swig from her bottle. "Better go 'n run along now, like you always do, apparently."

"I'm not going to leave you here."

"Why not? Wouldn't be the first time that you just up 'n fuckin' abandoned me in a stressful situation! No, I still haven't forgotten 'bout that."

Her bringing up what happened with Odahviing had him glaring at her. "I've already said-"

She didn't allow him to continue. "Why don'cha just admit it to yerself that I'm  _way_ too much for you to handle already? I got way too many enemies and... And... Fuck! I've got the blood a' one of the Daedric P... Princes' most untamed creations flowin' through my veins. You already got a taste of... Of what it can make me become."

"And has that stopped me? Look! I'm still here!" He grabbed her shoulder. "I made the mistake of walking away once, Wyllin. I'm  _not_ doing it again."

She shoved his hand off of her. "You're a fool, but none a' that matters now." She grumbled swears under her breath. "Fuck's sake, if I... If I knew shit was gonna to be  _this_ difficult for me, I woulda... Woulda took one a' my dozens of opportunities to get out!" She let out a bitter laugh. "Ol' Cap'n Jack coulda been fun. Sailin' on the high seas and drinkin' 'til my liver gave out. Hah! Or... Or maybe that Prince a' Song guy coulda shown me all kinds of places across Tamriel. Sang me beautiful songs. He had a real way with words, yeah?" Each suggestion had a scowl forming further across his face. "Gods, maybe... Maybe even that Forsworn coulda shown me a good time! What was his name again? Carl? Kale? Fuck if I know."

"Would you cut it out already?!" He hissed. "I know for a fact you wouldn't have gone with any of them, even without me telling you not to. You're too devoted to this Dragonborn shit."

She slapped her hand against the tabletop. "Hah! Shit, man. I never  _asked_ for this dragon soul bullshit or my freaky voice. There are times where I fuckin' hated it! Hated it, yah hear?! Had to... To tame myself down. Live up to standards. Be that fuckin' savior this Gods forsaken world apparently needed. Shit, do you know how  _hard_ that was?" She paused. "No wait, you  _don't._ You get to go 'n run free 'n shit. Be an asshole to everyone and do everythin' you want while I gotta sit here 'n play hero! Act like someone I'm not just to please the masses! Fan-fuckin-tastic, yeah?" She shook her head. "Y'know what? Why don't you ju... Just go back to doin' whatever it was you did before we met? Leave me to drink 'til I forget that shitty situation  _you_ got me into with that repulsive piece of human trash... Ugh! Guess I should be lucky my beast kicked in before things got  _too_ bad for us, eh?"

"Are you even listening to yourself right now?"

"The fuck's that s'posed to mean?"

"You've never once legitimately complained about being Dragonborn. You've always been so quick to throw yourself into harm's way for this worthless world. It frustrated me to no end because I never knew if you'd live through the next battle or not, but..." He took a deep breath. "I'd rather have you be like that than... Like how I was before we met. Hating the world and everything in it just isn't your style."

"Maybe you don't know me as well as you  _think_ you do."

"Oh believe me, I know you well. You can't hide shit from me, princess. If you didn't have this kind of stubborn dedication, you wouldn't have done half the shit you did for this iced over wasteland. You've fought dragons, infiltrated an embassy, plunged into Dwemer ruins, went to fucking  _Sovngarde..._ All for this damn death-or-glory mission to defeat that stupid dragon god king... Whatever his name was." He pressed his hand against her cheek. "The Wyllin I know - the  _true_ Wyllin - wouldn't think the way you're doing now. Maybe she did in the past, but she definitely wouldn't  _now._ "

She had a hard time forming any sort of comeback. He was right, even if she didn't want to admit it to herself in her drunken stupor at first. A hand reached up and placed itself over his as she leaned her head into his touch. "I'm... Sorry. You're right. I shouldn't of let all this bullshit get to me."

"Of course I'm right, and I'm always here to knock that hard-headed hero of Skyrim back into line if she ever needs it."

She laughed weakly and leaned in closer to him, which nearly had her losing balance on her chair due to slight miscalculations. He caught her and helped her back onto it. Fingers brushed through her disheveled hair. She smiled up at him. "I love you, my prince."

"I love you too, my princess." He kissed her forehead. "Come on. We should probably get you into a bed so you can sleep off this alcohol. Gods, how much did you have?"

"I lost count."

He looked her over, clearly confused. "Where do you even fucking keep it all?"

"Burns off quickly. Dragon soul. Beast blood. Yeah, it's all a mess. That's whatever though. We should probably sleep here for the night."

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea. I doubt you can get back to Lakeview in this state. Just wait here for a minute." He stood up and went to go speak with the innkeeper. After Wyllin's tab was paid and a room was rented, he made his way back to the heavily inebriated elf and helped her onto her feet. After doing so, he walked her to the room. The door was kicked shut behind them and she was settled down on the bed.

"I don't have my night clothes."

"That's fine." Bishop slipped out of his jacket and took off his undershirt, and then handed the latter off to her before moving to take his boots off and get in the bed.

She took the shirt and mumbled a 'thank you'. Once she managed to get out of her armor, which wasn't an easy feat in her current state, she slipped his shirt on and looked over at him as she pulled her hair out through the collar.

He looked back and raised an eyebrow when he noticed her expression. "What's that smile for?"

The Bosmer crawled over to him and straddled his lap. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and then she kissed him. When she eventually pulled back, she rested her forehead against his, eyes closed. "I'm just glad you're here for me."

"Like I said, I'm always going to be here to knock you back into line." His hands had settled at her hips. Hers moved to cup his face, though she frowned when she thumbed across the scars she'd given him. It was clear that she still felt horrible about what happened. When he noticed, he pulled her hand off of them and chuckled softly. "Don't need to worry about that, ladyship. I'd like to think these little beauties just enhance my rugged charm. Besides, how many people can say they came face-to-face with a werewolf and lived to tell the tale?"

She giggled at his words. "Oh yeah, the ladies will be fallin' all over you now. I s'pose I'll need to show 'em just who you belong to then."

"Really now? And just how would you do that?"

"I could think of a few different ways." She kissed down to his jawline as one of her hands moved to lace its fingers through his hair.

He went along with it for a little while. He slipped under the shirt he'd given her and traced his fingers up her sides. The light touch had her shivering, which brought a smirk to the Nord's face. There was a point where he knew he needed to stop though. She was piss ass drunk and needed sleep. After letting her have a bit of fun, he pulled her off of him and laid her down by his side. "Get some sleep."

"What..?" It took a moment for her to register what he'd done, then she whined. "Oh come  _on!"_

"Don't give me that now, ladyship. You're drunk and exhausted. Get some rest and we'll see how you feel in the morning."

The elf grumbled a few profanities under her breath, but relented. She curled up by him and rested her head on his chest. He was right. She  _was_ exhausted. The moment she was comfortable enough, she fell right asleep, and he soon did the same. 

* * *

 Bishop woke up to, unsurprisingly, find Wyllin had already gotten up herself and dressed. She was sat at the table near the bed, rubbing her temples with the tips of her fingers. When he stirred, she opened her eyes and looked over towards him. "Morning."

He sat up and stretched. "Morning. You're looking sprightly."

"Hah! Hardly. Still nursing my hangover. Let's just hope I won't need to shout at anything for a while." As he moved to get on his feet, she continued speaking. "I actually went back to Lakeview while you were still out to gather some of our things. I think I want to head out to Sky Haven Temple first but..." She reached into her bag and produced a familiar-looking black cube, which had glowing red runes etched all around it. "There's also the matter of this."

He sat up and looked at the cube more closely, still trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. "The lexicon that crazed Sheogorath following guy gave you? You still have that thing?"

"Well, I haven't returned it to him yet, so of course I do. Figured it could be a fun little journey for us."

"You want to go to Skyrim's frozen asscrack in order to deliver a weird box to some insane old guy who lives in an ice cave? You really are something, princess."

"He  _did_ help me get the Elder Scroll, you know."

"Well, yeah, but..." He shook his head. "Fine, if that's what you want. Where did you even put that scroll anyway?"

"Stored it away for safe keepings back at Lakeview," She explained as she put the lexicon away again. "All of my valuable things are kept in the cellar, which only Rayya and I can access. The lock's magic and can only be opened with a certain spell."

"Clever."

She smirked at him. "Anyway, like I said, I want to get to Sky Haven before heading to Winterhold. We're going to stop and pick up Val and Karnwyr along the way."

"Do we have to get back on the road  _already?"_  He sighed. "Don't I still owe you for last night, sweetness?"

"Of course you do. I haven't forgotten, but there will be time for that later. When my head  _isn't_ threatening to split open."

"Alright, fine," He looked her over. "Hmm..."

She quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

"Think you could use a bath first, princess. Rayya managed to get most of the blood off of you after I hauled your unconscious ass back to your home a few days ago, but still..." Her scowl at his suggestion had him chuckling. "I could wash your back for you at least."

"You mean you just want your hands all over me while I'm wet and naked."

"Sounds like someone's just hearing what she wants to hear, but I'm not at all opposed to the thought."

The Bosmer sighed and shook her head. "What am I ever going to do with you? Fine. I suppose I could use a bath. I have the stench of dog all over me. Can't quite tell if it's from my transformation or if it's from  _you_."

"Hey!"

"You started it, Ranger." She nudged his shoulder as she walked past him to go find the innkeeper and inquire about getting a warm bath started.

Admittedly, the steaming waters felt nice, and she definitely had a few layers of dirt to get off. As her partner made good on his promise of helping her bathe - albeit remaining true to his typical handsy nature - she slowly worked away at her hair, allowing the strawberry blonde locks to shine once more. She repaid her lover for his...  _Help_  by vigorously cleaning his unkempt hair and forcing him to brush it for once. That hardly seemed to help, but at least he looked more human than animal. Once they dried off and redressed, they headed out on the road, back to Lakeview.  

As they neared the manor, Bishop looked towards Wyllin. "So, we're going to be heading balls deep into Forsworn territory again? Hopefully they haven't decided to repopulate the entrance to that temple."

"Delphine and Esbern have pretty much set up a permanent residence there. I'm certain that they can handle any Forsworn that attempt to reclaim the area." She then sighed. "I do wonder how things are going for them over at the temple. I mean, they're the only known Blades who've managed to evade being killed off by the Thalmor. With Delphine now seeing reason, maybe I can help rebuild their order..."

"Rebuild the Blades?" Bishop looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, great. So, on one hand, you'll have a bunch of dragons who are - for some ungodly reason -  _extremely_ loyal to you. Then, on the other, you'll have an ancient order of Dragonborn worshipers who  _despise_ the Aldmeri Dominion ready to do your bidding. You know, at this point, I'm starting to think you stand a pretty good chance at single-handedly taking over all of Tamriel."

She snorted at the thought. "And you think I'd actually have the ability to lead the  _entirety_ of Tamriel?"

"You could probably do a far better job at it than the Medes have, if recent politics are anything to go by. Gods, that's something to think about...  Some tiny  _wood elf_ taking power from those snot-nosed Imperial puppets and their Thalmor masters   and forming the next Dragonborn Empire? Hah! No one could ever see  _that_ coming." He then looked over at her and smirked. "You'd make one hell of an Empress, ladyship."

"Oh?" She chuckled and took hold of one of his arms with both of her hands. "You know, every mighty Empress should have a strong  _Emperor_ standing by her side."

"Should she now?" The thought of the two of them ruling over an Empire was admittedly ridiculous. If they got ahold of any semblance of power, things probably wouldn't end well. His thoughts were turned to something else, however... The way she said that...

"Mhmm... Too bad  _this_ Empress doesn't really know of anyone who could ever fill such a role." She parted with him and picked up her pace. "Come on, we're almost back to Lakeview." The confused Nord had stopped in his tracks for a moment, trying to process what she'd said. When she noticed this, she stopped as well and turned back. "Bishop! We don't have all day!"

He snapped back to reality. "Alright! Coming! Gods, woman." He rolled his eyes and took off after her again, pushing that comment she made to the back of his mind.


	29. Reforming the Blades

A brief stop at Whiterun had been made to speak with the Companions about the completed contract. There were separate occasions where Aela and Vilkas had pulled Wyllin to the side to inquire about the Ranger’s new scars. She tried to play it off as best as she could, but they both knew. It wasn’t hard for someone experienced with lycanthropy to tell. Luckily enough, they didn’t push her for details on the events surrounding them. After that visit was done, they set off for the Reach.

“Let’s hope we don’t run into that Forsworn chief again,” Bishop had commented as they exited the city, which only brought a grumble from Wyllin.

“Forsworn chief?” Valdras gave the two a questioning look.

“Oh, I forget that you haven’t been filled in on all the men your sister’s managed to catch the eye of. Yeah, he’s one of the most interesting. A  _friendly_ Forsworn? Hah!” The Ranger shook his head. “She still has that damned necklace he gave her.”

When he said that, one of her hands reached for the necklace attached to hide side pouch. It was still there. She thumbed over the carved charm on it. “I forgot I had this.” She thought back to what Cael had said when he gave it to her.  _‘Perhaps it could also function as a reminder that not all of my people are as savage as the Nords think us to be.’_

“From what little I’ve heard of the Forsworn, I find it hard to imagine that one would find himself taken by a Nordic legend, especially one with no ties to his kind.”

“They’re not  _all_ like what the people of these lands want to think. It’s rude to assume everyone from a certain group falls into the same mold.” She elected to ignore the comment Bishop made about ‘only her’ finding some way to defend the Forsworn. The necklace was removed from the front of her pouch, and she looked it over.

From off to her side, Valdras had examined it as well. “A… Stag’s head charm. I find that ironic, given your connection to Hircine. Perhaps he knew?”

“I don’t know.” She smiled softly as she turned it over in her hand. “Maybe it has some other significance to him. Perhaps I’ll ask him if I see him again.”

The Nord groaned. “Please tell me you aren’t falling for that skirt-wearing freak all over again.”

“I never  _‘fell’_ for him to begin with, Bishop. There’s only  _one_ freak around these parts who’s managed to catch my attention in such a way.”

“Well, you definitely-” He stopped himself when he finally caught on to the left-handed nature of her compliment. “Hey!”

The response had his partner cackling. She put the necklace back where it was previously. “Anyway, he’s not important right now. I’m not going to the Reach to track down some Forsworn. I’m going there to get to Sky Haven, and we’re wasting daylight by talking about this.”

* * *

 

They reached the temple a little while after the sun had set. Luckily, no one disturbed them, Forsworn or otherwise. They traversed the short ways to the inner area of Sky Haven, where both Delphine and Esbern sat at the large war room table. They were idly chatting with one another before the former noticed Wyllin approaching.

She stood up from her chair. “By the Nine! You’ve arrived!”

Esbern turned to look back towards the Dragonborn. “Ah, yes. Delphine had explained to me what had happened between you two in Whiterun. She was uncertain if you were actually going to show up.”

“Well, here I am, no need to worry.” She looked around the temple, frowning at how little was done with it. “I see not much has changed.”

“We don’t have the resources or manpower to do much, Dragonborn. In fact, Esbern and I were just talking about recruiting new Blades and rebuilding our once-great order back up. I’m sure you could do well with us at your back. There’s still plenty of dragons to kill or… Befriend.” The thought had the Breton frowning.

“Where exactly are we going to get recruits? The Thalmor have their claws around half of Skyrim, and not many people really know about this faction anymore.”

“But they know  _you,_ and that’s enough for some. As for the Dominion…” Delphine waved her hand dismissively. “To Oblivion with them. As long as we’re careful, they’ll have no idea we’re rebuilding our forces.”

“And if they find out and attack Sky Haven?”

“There’s no need for what ifs. We’ll have a plan by then,  _should_ it happen.”

“Alright then, what should I do?”

“Keep your eyes peeled for anyone who could be of use to us. Anyone who can wield a blade and fight with honor. You seem to be a good judge of character…” She looked towards Bishop. “For the most part.” The scowl he gave her went ignored.

“I’ll see what I can do. In the meantime, it might be good to fix this place up a bit. The Akaviri did a good job at making it stand against the ages but… Its age is starting to become apparent.” She chuckled softly. Despite that, it was still a marvel to behold. To think that she was standing in the very place previous Dragonborns have undoubtedly stood… “That’s for tomorrow though. It’s late. I’m going to get some fresh air and then probably stay the night here, if you don’t mind…”

“Not at all, Dragonborn.”

She nodded and then dismissed herself. Bishop had decided to tag along, while Valdras stayed back to explore the temple. Her weapons and pack were dropped off by the exit into the temple’s overlook before the two headed out. Everything around was illuminated by the burning braziers. Trees with beautiful pink blossoms lined the path before them, overlooking small ponds with lily pads. Akaviri architecture dotted the area, though most of it was crumbling quite a bit more than the inside had been. Wyllin remained quiet as she walked along, eventually finding herself on the roof area above the entrance to Sky Haven. She took a seat on it, legs swinging over the edge. “I wonder if this is what Akavir looks like.”

Bishop chuckled at her comment as he took a seat beside her. “I don’t know, princess. Definitely feels disconnected from the rest of this frozen wasteland though.” An arm wrapped around her as she leaned against him.

“I almost don’t want to believe a place like  _this_ exists in Skyrim. The province has its beauties but…”

“Mm… The only beauty I see around these lands is you, sweetness.” That had her scoffing and nudging him with her elbow. “Hey now, I’m only speaking the truth.”

“You’re something else,” The elf sighed.

“And you love me for it.”

“Mhmm, I do.” She leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek. He quickly turned and caught her lips with his own instead, which caught her by surprise. Then she was pulled onto his lap. The clasp that held her cloak around her neck was undone, and it fell off her shoulders as his mouth found its way to the now exposed skin. Her arms loosely wrapped around him as her head tilted to the side. “Gods, Bishop… Are you sure we should be..?”

The words had him pulling back to look her in the eyes. “What’s the harm? Everyone else is probably asleep by now, and Karnwyr took a liking to your brother so he’s nowhere in sight. It’s just you and me out here, and I think we’ve waited long enough for me to…  _Repay_ you for last night. The choice is yours though.”

She was blushing softly, which was barely visible in the dim light of the braziers. Her lower lip was pulled between her teeth as she thought about his words. That look he was giving her… Fuck it. She pulled him back into a kiss and eagerly began to undo the straps on his jacket. He responded by unclasping the sides of her cuirass. She parted with him for only a moment so he could pull it off of her and then immediately resumed what she was doing. His jacket was pushed off of him, and he soon found himself being pushed onto his back. Her hands slid under his shirt, and then her nails lightly dug into his toned abs. He groaned at the feeling. The shirt was tugged off and she moved to kiss down his neck. Then she found a spot to bite down on. The feeling of her teeth against his skin caught him off guard and pulled a low growl from him. She clearly wanted it rough that night.

Her gauntlets were pulled off. The belt on top of her dragonscale undershirt was undone, and then both it and the shirt were soon cast aside as well. The cold, nighttime air bit into her skin, but she was immediately comforted by the feeling of his warm hands traveling along her body. She smirked down at him. “Being on the bottom suits you, Ranger.”

“I think we both know who  _truly_ belongs down here, sweetness.”

“You keep calling me ‘sweetness’ tonight. I’m starting to think you want a taste.”

The assumption had him grinning at her. He moved to tug gently at the brim of her pants with his fingers. “You already know I can work wonders with my tongue.”

“Maybe I need a reminder.” She sat off to the side so she could undo her boots. Soon enough, she was completely exposed. When Bishop moved to sit up, a hand pushed him back down. “No, no. I already told you, my prince, being on the bottom suits you.” There was a sort of wickedness to the look she’d given him. She shifted so she was back over him, this time a little ways closer to his head.

Admittedly, the view he had of her from that position was nice. The braziers and moonlight dimly illuminated her tanned features, just barely allowing the goosebumps the cold air had sent across her skin to show. The dull light reflected off her mischievous forest green eyes as she peered down at him. Her slender fingers tangled through his hair and urged him to give her what she wanted. The gesture at him chuckling as his arms wrapped around her legs, pulling her a little closer.

His tongue made contact with the folds of her entrance, pulling a soft gasp from her. After teasing her by repeating the same movement a few times, she decided to tighten her grip on his scalp and then push herself further against his mouth, locking him in that position in the process. He fully accepted that and pressed his tongue past her folds. Her face heated up and she began to moan occasionally as his tongue explored her. She couldn’t help but occasionally rock against him, trying to get him in deeper. As that happened, he reached up to press a thumb against her clit and rubbed at it slowly.

“Fuck…” She mumbled in between pants. Her eyes had closed completely as she murmured praises under her breath. Her hold on his hair loosened as she felt something start to bubble up inside of her. He could feel her legs starting to tremble slightly under his loose grasp. It was easy for him to tell the signs after he’d been like this with her on so many occasions. The fingertips of his unoccupied hand trailed gently down her thigh. The thumb at her throbbing clit pressed harder against it and his motions became more rough. She was moaning louder at that point, hitting a few high notes along the way whenever he did something  _just_ right. Soon enough, she hit her climax, and released a much louder moan when she’d done so. The trembling in her legs only increased as she rode it out.

Bishop moved a little so he could sit back up. She collapsed onto his lap and his arms wrapped around her as she rested her head against his shoulder. The warmth coming from him mixed with the fingers running through her hair had her cooing. “Worn out already, princess?”

“Mmm… Not in the slightest.”

He chuckled. “Right yeah, you have that werewolf stamina. Good to know where all that energy comes from now. Hopefully I at least gave you a good reminder about what I can do with my mouth.”

Her face reddened. “Never doubted it. Just wanted to feel it again.” She could feel how his erection had grown through his pants. A smirk teased at the elf’s features as she pressed her hips down, pushing herself further against him. Doing so had him releasing a bit of a strained noise. “You seem a little pent up, Ranger.”

He let out a deep sigh. “Yah think? Why don’t you give me a hand? Or maybe more than that?” She was apparently more than willing to do just that. When she moved off of his lap, he got to his feet and she helped him with undoing his pants. He then pushed down both them and his underwear, revealing himself to her. Her eyes flickered up at him as she wrapped her fingers around his hardened member and began to work at him. One of his hands rested against her head, and then he gave her a sly smile. “You know, you claim to be pretty bad with wielding two-handed ‘weapons’, but you seem to do just fine when it comes to this.”

She giggled at that comment. “There’s always exceptions.” She removed one of her hands and then moved to run her tongue along the underside of his shaft. His breathing hitched at the feeling. She then started to take him into her mouth, her tongue circling around his head a few times before she went further down. After getting almost all the way to his hilt, she pulled back from him completely and began stroking along him once more, this time a little bit harder. A small amount of drool was wiped away from the corner of her mouth by the thumb of her free hand as she looked up at him.

The grip on her hair tightened a little. “You should keep that pretty mouth of yours around me, princess.” The slightly threatening tone of his voice had her chuckling. She leaned in to tease at the head of his member with her tongue, making it seem she was about to take him in again, but then moved back once more. The look she gave up when she did was all-too innocent. That had him groaning and shaking his head. “Damnit, woman. Enough of your games.”

“You always talk tough, but it’s so damn easy to get you worked up.” She squeezed the base of his shaft before rubbing up and down the length of it. He was throbbing in her hand. “If you really want it so badly, then why don’t you try and  _take_  it?”

“Is that a challenge?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

His question had her smirking. “Maybe it is. What are you gonna do about it, prince?” The answer came in the form of him tightening his grip on her hair and forcing her towards him. The tip of his length pressed against her lower lip. When she looked up at him, she couldn’t help but get a sense of satisfaction at the frustrated expression he wore. Fine. She could give him what he wanted. The moment she started to take him into her mouth once more, she was roughly tugged all the way down his shaft.

He chuckled somewhat darkly at the sound of her gagging. “You told me to take what I wanted. I’m not playing around anymore, sweetness.” The tone of voice he had when he said that sent chills running up her spine. Admittedly, she adored it when he took this kind of control over her, as crazy as that could sound to some. He wasn’t afraid to do so, and that was pretty satisfying to the revered Nordic heroine in more ways than one. At the end of the day, they still cared for and respected one another, but in these kinds of moments…

She wasn’t really allowed to ponder that for long. She was given a moment to collect herself, and then he locked her head in place with his grip and took to thrusting into her mouth at a slow pace, though he started to pick up after a while. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Her one hand held onto his leg to keep her balanced, while the other found its way between her legs. As she played with herself, she let out a moan against him, which pulled a loud grunt from him. His hips thrusted in with quite a bit of force, which had her choking on him due to the sudden movement. He paused and looked down to see if she was alright. Once he was sure that she was, he continued on.

He was slowly building up to his climax. Just as he was able to tell when she was about to go, she was becoming familiar with the signs he gave. They were a bit more subtle than hers, but the perceptive little elf could pick up on his staggered breaths and the slight trembling of his hands. At one point, she moved to grab hold of his hips, which had him stopping. A hand moved up to his wrist, and she tugged at it gently to get him to let go of her. He did so, admittedly curious as to what her motives were. When she could finally move her head again, she wrapped a hand around the base of his member and started bobbing her head, clearly determined to finish him off herself. He was happy to let her do so. She picked up a bit of speed, fully enjoying the grunts she was pulling from him as she went.

“Gods… Wyllin…” He mumbled, which had her looking up at him. He was gazing down at her through lidded eyes, mouth hanging slightly open. Not too long after, those eyes closed, and his grip on her head tightened to get her to stop moving. When she did, he let out a loud groan as he released into her mouth. She pulled back from him when he was done and wiped her mouth. He helped her back onto her feet, and then pulled her close.

Her hands went up to cup his face. “Enjoyed yourself, hmm?”

He chuckled in response. “You clearly did, with your damn teasing.”

“Can’t make everything  _too_ easy for you.” She giggled when he rolled his eyes. Her fingers then started to trail down his chest. “Hmm…”

“Hmm?”

“Think you can keep going?”

That had him grinning. “For as long as you think you can handle, princess.”

Her expression matched his when he gave that response. “I’m going to hold you to those words, Ranger.”

They’d eventually called it quits sometime late in the night. While they hadn’t felt it at the time, the rough stone under them had left them a little scraped up in a few areas. Thank the Gods for Restoration magic. Once their gear was back on and they’d cleaned themselves up a bit, they snuck into the temple. Wyllin changed into her nightwear and then made her way to the sleeping quarters. The other three were already out, with Karnwyr snoozing away by the bed Valdras was asleep in. Given how small the beds were, the two settled on using their bedrolls instead. Bishop ran his fingers through her hair as she nuzzled up against him under the furs.

She looked up at him. "Bishop."

He glanced down at the sleepy little elf when she said his name. "Yes?"

"I love you."

He gave her a half-smile. "I love you too, princess. Get some sleep."

She nodded and curled up as he wrapped his arm around her. Not long after that, she was fast asleep, and he soon followed.

* * *

 

“I’m just not sure where to start looking. Sure, I know a lot of people in Skyrim… But recruitment for the Blades?” Wyllin sighed as she dug around the food supplies Delphine had stocked in the temple. “Are you  _sure_ you two are the only ones left? I mean, certainly others had managed to get away as well.”

“If there are others who made it out, then they haven’t made themselves known to me,” The Breton responded. “We don’t have any records of our members, either. Pretty much everything was destroyed when the Thalmor laid siege upon Cloud Ruler Temple back in Cyrodiil. Anyone else who survived is probably in hiding.”

Wyllin tapped her fingers against a wooden barrel as she thought. “I wonder if the Thalmor have any information. I was only able to gather a few documents while I was there due to my time constraint, but they must have others somewhere.”

That had Delphine gawking at her. “Dragonborn, you  _can’t_ be serious. With what you did at the embassy last time, it’s no doubt locked up tighter than it was before. Any other information on surviving Blades members is probably long gone as well.”

“The embassy in Skyrim isn’t the only place.” The look on the Blade’s face only grew more concerned. “I’m just thinking out loud!” She ran her fingers through her slightly disheveled hair - fuck, that still needed brushed - and sighed heavily. “Maybe you should look into your informants. You make things happen from behind the scenes, right? They might have some leads if they dig hard enough. If they find anything substantial, then I’ll look into it. I don’t think recruiting out in the open’s a good idea with the Thalmor’s current grasp on half of Skyrim.”

“If that’s what you think is the best line of action, then I’ll see what I can do. I can’t promise anything, but maybe it’ll give us a start.”

“Anything you can get can only help at this stage,” She responded. “I’m going to finish up preparing breakfast now. We’ll talk more on this when you come across something I can look into.”

Delphine nodded. “Alright.” With that, she headed out of the kitchen.

Wyllin went back to trying to gather up the ingredients for something to make. Given how there was normally only the two Blades, there really wasn’t much. She silently contemplated the thought of heading out to hunt and forage in the Reach. While she didn’t know much of the area, she did know there was plenty of natural resources in it. As she thought on that, someone else had walked into the kitchen, and she jumped when she heard his voice.

“Morning, princess. Sleep well?”

Her eyes turned to the groggy-looking Ranger who’d entered the room. “Mmm. You definitely helped me out last night, that’s for sure.” Her entire body then turned to face him, and she leaned back on a few crates as she looked him over. “You definitely look like you slept well. In fact, you look like you’re  _still_  asleep.”

“I feel like it too. You know how to wear a man out, ladyship.” He walked towards her as he said that.

“I wore you out?” She quirked a brow at him. “Did I finally sate my animal of a lover?”

“Now I didn’t say  _that,_ ” He chuckled. When he reached her, he scooped her up off her feet, which had her immediately wrapping her arms and legs around him. She couldn’t help but giggle as he planted kisses against her neck.

“Gods, Bishop… Not here!” She made a weak attempt at pushing his head away.

He pulled back. “What? I’m not doing anything  _too_ bad.”

“Someone could walk in at any second.”

“And? Wyllin, we’re not exactly secretive about… Whatever’s going on between us.”

“I know, I’m just… Ugh.” She sighed. “You drive me crazy.”

“I think you’re already there. I mean, between your dates with dragons and Daedra…” She grumbled at his words, and then pressed a kiss to his lips, which he fully welcomed. Her fingers laced themselves through his hair. Meanwhile, one of his hands firmly grabbed at her ass, which caused her to break the kiss and squeak, though she was soon pulled back into it. The two were a bit too occupied by their little moment to realize someone else had walked in.

“I hope I’m not… Interrupting anything?”

That kiss was broken as she looked towards the person who spoke. Damnit. “Valdras! Good morning!” She let out an awkward laugh and squirmed a bit, prompting Bishop to let her down.

The other Bosmer furrowed his brow at the two. “You are… Quite affectionate with this man.” It wasn’t the first time he’d caught them in their little moments.

“Yeah, um… Anyway..!” His sister cleared her throat. “I was just about to ask if anyone wanted to head out with me and hunt down some breakfast. There’s a surprising lack of… Anything around here.”

“There’s a fair amount of game in the Reach, if you can manage to get past all the damned Forsworn. I know a few places that should be relatively quiet though.” Of course he did.

“Good, hopefully there’s something close by.” She looked towards Valdras. “You coming?”

“As long as your partner promises to keep his hands to himself while I’m around.” Her brother eyed Bishop skeptically, and he just rolled his eyes in return.

She nudged the Nord’s arm with her elbow before responding. “That shouldn’t be too much of a problem! I’m going to get my armor on and track down Karnwyr, then we can head out.” After doing that and telling Delphine where they’d be going, the group set out. Bishop led them to an area nearby that seemed to be free of activity, Forsworn or otherwise. After that, they made the choice of splitting up to look for animal tracks. Bishop and Karnwyr went together, while Valdras accompanied his sister.

“Doing this reminds me of the days back in the forests of Grahtwood,” Wyllin mumbled. “When I was younger and you were teaching us how to hunt.”

Valdras chuckled. “You could hardly hold a bow back then, sister. Now look at you. Your training as a Jaqspur might have fallen through, but your skills with a bow are still impressive.” He smiled over at her. “You would’ve had a lot of opportunities back in Valenwood with the various guilds the province has to offer… Though maybe it was for the best that you came here.”

“Oh? You’re not upset for me leaving as suddenly as I did?”

“That was over five years ago. I understood why you wanted to. Besides, if you hadn’t, this world could’ve very well been destroyed by now.”

“Right, yeah… Dragonborn.” Her attention was drawn away from the conversation when she heard something off to their left. Her bow was immediately drawn, as was Valdras’.

His voice was low. “I don’t hear anything, where are they coming from?”

“This way, come on.” She slowly followed the source of the sound, with her brother close on her heels. After getting past some dense shrubbery, he pointed out something.

“Footprints. These aren’t from an animal.”

She looked to where he was pointing. “Forsworn? There’s only one of them though.”

“Do they often travel alone?”

“Not from what I’ve seen. They're going this way.” Her bow was swapped out for her blades. When she noticed her brother's look, she spoke again. “In case of an ambush. Stay behind me.” He nodded and she continued on. A clearing was just up ahead. Yeah, she wasn’t  _that_ stupid. She gestured with her head to the closest tree, and Valdras went off towards it. When he was tucked away, she called on her Thu’um, lowering it to but a whisper.  _“Laas Yah Nir.”_ Several figures lit up. She quickly took count of them and memorized where they were. Once she did and the effects of the Shout faded, she made her way further in.

Someone charged at her the moment she made her way out of the treeline. It was a woman dressed in all dark colors. She wore a hooded cloak, and a scarf covered her face up to her icy blue eyes. She was wielding a sword made of a shiny dark metal in her right hand. Wyllin managed to catch her first attack and block it off just in time before that sword collided with her face. After the shrouded woman had done that, her friends started to join in. While Wyllin couldn’t see it,  _none_ of them looked like any of the mortal races. Given her opponent’s skill, the Bosmer had her hands full with just trying to stop her attacks. It was hard to get any sort of opening. Luckily, she  _did_ have help.

Valdras did his best to pick off the attackers. They were much more organized than the frenzied bandits they’d fought off a few days before, and that didn’t exactly help the Jaqspur. He just barely managed to keep the others from getting at his sister. Meanwhile, it would appear that her and the shrouded woman were fairly evenly matched. Though, at one point, she’d gotten a swipe that cut through the sleeve of her right arm, leaving a nasty gash in its wake. Wyllin hissed and jumped back. Fuck. She had enough of this.  _"IIZ SLEN."_  A storm of ice was summoned by her Thu'um, ready to freeze its target solid.

That, however... Didn't come.

When the frost cleared, she was greeted by the scene of the woman fully encased in a magical ward. Given her lack of the final Word, it was much easier to block the effects of that Shout. Damnit. There was a taunting look in her eyes and a condescending tone to her voice. “Well met, Dragonborn. The tales of your skills are true.” The elf didn’t bother responding. She just stood there and growled, waiting for the moment this bitch’s ward dropped so she could charge again. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to kill you. It would’ve been unfortunate for you to have fallen here, given how everyone talks you up.”

“Who the fuck are you and what do you want with me?” Wyllin snarled at her.

“That’s not important right now.” She shook her head and glanced around. “If I'm to be honest, I’d hoped your little companion was around as well.” That had the elf giving her a confused look. Did she mean..? “Seems that's not the case, however. He doesn’t have even half the skill of the one who was shooting from the trees. What a shame.” The strange woman sighed. “Oh well. Play time’s up. Thanks for the little game, Dragonborn. I’ll  _definitely_ be seeing you around.” The ward was dropped, but the woman had completely disappeared in a cloud of smoke the moment it did. The others she’d come with had all been banished… Daedra?

Wyllin wasn’t thinking about that. In a fit of anger, she slashed at the air where her attacker had stood. She hadn’t used a simple invisibility spell. She’d… Teleported away?

Her brother walked up to her as she sheathed her blades and started to heal the wound that stranger had left. “What on Nirn was  _that_ about?"

“I… Don’t know…” She frowned and turned to Valdras. “But she mentioned knowing Bishop.”

“It would seem that this partner of yours has a lot of secrets. I suggest you-”

“Wyllin!” Speak of the Daedra. He was running towards the two with Karnwyr following closely behind. “I heard your Shouts. Gods, are you okay?”

She looked towards the Nord as he neared her, still clearly stunned by what had happened. “I…” Damnit, Springlock, get ahold of yourself. “It’s fine. The person who attacked us is… Gone.”

“Gone? I don’t see a body.”

“It’s hard to explain, but they're gone. and that's what matters. Come on, we have hunting to do.” From the corner of her eye, she could see her brother giving a disapproving shake of his head. After that encounter with Thorn, she  _really_ didn’t want to go snooping around in Bishop’s past for the time being. That could be saved for another day.

“Well, I’d actually just struck down an elk before I heard your crazy-ass voice. It should be pretty easy to find.”

She and Valdras headed off with him. When they found it, Bishop and Wyllin helped each other with dressing, skinning, and butchering the animal. She was pretty awkward for a good while, clearly troubled by her encounter with that masked woman. That had her partner concerned. Details on it were never pressed, and her brother never spoke on the matter either.

Once everything was finished, the three took what they’d gotten back to Sky Haven. As they walked, Wyllin foraged around for wild herbs, mushrooms, and other things she could potentially make use of. Karnwyr went hunting for his own meal. When they got back, she cooked breakfast with the help of her brother. Everyone gathered in the room with Alduin’s Wall and ate. Esbern had begun his usual talks about the history of the previous Dragonborns and the Blades, which only Wyllin and Valdras paid any kind of attention to. Delphine was lost in her own thoughts, and Bishop was making an active effort to not doze off.

After all of that was over, it was decided that they’d stay for a day to help out with cleaning up the temple and preparing it for whenever new recruits would come in. During that time, the encounter with the woman had slowly faded to the back of Wyllin’s mind. While it still nagged at her a few times, she was able to brush it off and continue on with her work.

They set out early the next day. Valdras wasn’t quite ready to face the icy northern regions of Winterhold, so his sister allowed him to stay at her house while she was out. They parted ways when they got close to the border of Falkreath. After goodbyes were said, Wyllin began her trip up north with Bishop and Karnwyr.


	30. Daedric Princes

"Here we are. I believe this is where we found him last time." After a good three and some odd days of traveling - mostly due to bad weather - Wyllin, Bishop, and Karnwyr stood outside the entrance of the outpost they'd seen Septimus Signus in last. The cover was over it again, but was easily removed by the elf.

"Are you sure you want to go back down there with him?"

"Oh, come on. The guy's a loon, but he's harmless. I doubt anything he's capable of doing could cause problems for the both of us. Let's go." She headed in with her companion and his wolf tentatively following behind her. They came into the familiar scene of his camp, and the sound of ramblings proved that he was still very much alive. Wyllin was the first to approach, eventually coming into view of the old Imperial.

He looked up at her and grinned. "There you are!"

She offered a somewhat awkward smile in return. "Apologies for keeping you waiting all this time."

"Time has no value to Septimus. He will gladly wait as long as he can to finally unravel the secrets of the box." Okay then. She really didn't have a response to that. "Did you get into the tower? Did you transcribe the cube?"

"Yes, actually. Give me a second." She slid her bag off of her shoulders and produced the glowing lexicon. "Here."

He eagerly took the cube and examined it. She couldn't exactly understand what he was doing, but it had the cube opening up and spinning around like it'd done when she transcribed it. Finally, it returned to its normal state and he turned to the elf. "Extraordinary! I see it now!"

"See... What, exactly?" Should she really even ask?

"The sealing structure of the box interlocks in the tiniest of fractals. Dwemer blood can loosen the hooks, but none remain alive to bear it."

"Okay so... It'll be impossible to open it?" That was rather anticlimactic.

"No, dear child. Not impossible. Nothing is impossible, but it may be difficult. We may be able to bypass the lock another way." He walked off to his supplies as he explained his plan to Wyllin. "The Dwemer could not anticipate everything, despite how extraordinary they were in their time. A panoply of the blood of their brethren could potentially form a facsimile. A trick!"

"So, that means..."

"The Dwemer are long gone, but many of their kin remain. Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Falmer, and Orsimer. They may still hold the key!" He pulled a clunky-looking device made of dwarven metal from a worn out-looking satchel. "Bear you hence this extractor. It will drink the fresh blood of elves. Return it to me when the set is complete." Before she could respond, he pushed the device into her hands.

"How... Convenient for you to have this." She examined the odd contraption.

"A true genius prepares for all events!"

"Okay then..." She placed the extractor into her bag, which she then pulled over her shoulders once again. "I guess I can see what I can do."

"Good luck, Dragonborn!" He knew her..? Of course he did.

"Can I ask you a question before I go?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you even want to open this box to begin with?"

"Ah, well this box contains the heart - the very essence - of a God! I've devoted my life to research into the Elder Scrolls, but their knowledge is a passing awareness compared to the encompassing mind of divinity!" He turned to look at the Dwemer lockbox. "Have you heard the story of the Nerevarine and the Heart of Lorkhan?"

She thought on those names for a moment. "The Nerevarine... That sounds familiar. They're the one who saved Morrowind from Dagoth Ur, correct?"

"Yes, but that's not all the Nerevarine has done. It was thought by many that the Heart of Lorkhan was destroyed by them, but my lord has told me otherwise."

"Your 'lord'?"

"The Daedric Prince of the unknown. Hermaeus Mora. You are familiar with the Princes, yes? I can sense the influence of one about you." He took her silence as confirmation and then continued. "I thought there were no secrets left to know, but my lord proved otherwise. When I first spoke to him, he asked a price, as yours undoubtedly asked of you. His was very simple: A few murders, dissent spread, a plague or two. Though it was all for the secrets I wished to know. In time, he brought me here, to this box, but he wouldn't reveal how to open it. Maddening. Perhaps I've finally found the answer thanks to your help."

She was hesitant to aid the follower of another Daedric Prince. Still, the same maddening curiosity that overcame Septimus was beginning to rub off on her, much to her displeasure. She stood there for a moment, weighing her options, and then eventually came to a decision. "I'll help you."

"Thank you. Now go! I eagerly await your return."

She nodded politely and then headed off towards a concerned-looking Ranger.

He crossed his arms and frowned at her as she approached. "You really agreed to help this nutcase again?"

"Bishop," She hissed in a low voice. "Not so loud!"

"Oh please, that man can't hear me over the crazed whispers in his head. Seems I was wrong about the Daedric Prince he serves though. Hermaeus Mora? For some reason, that  _does_  seem far more fitting for this lunatic than Sheogorath."

"What do you even know about the Princes anyway?"

"Not a whole lot. I'm curious about the one you follow, though. Hircine was it? You talked about sending Thorn and I to the 'Hunting Grounds' back when you went all crazy werewolf on us."

"I... Did that?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it. The thought of that bastard constantly being prey to a Daedric Prince is more than entertaining enough to make up for it." His comment brought a laugh from her. "I  _do_ have a few questions though."

"Maybe they can wait until we get back outside. Come on, let's go-" She paused when she noticed something odd by the exit to the ice cave. Was she hallucinating or was there a mass of eyes and writhing, green and black tentacles in front of them? "Bishop, do you see that?"

He looked ahead and furrowed his brow. There wasn't anything there, from what he could tell. "See what?"

"I... Can't even begin to explain it. One second."

"Ladyship, I don't think that's a good idea."

She didn't listen to him. Instead, she moved towards the mass, almost entranced by it.

_"Come closer. Bask in my presence."_

"Who are you?" She asked.

_"I am Hermaeus Mora. Guardian of the unseen. Knower of the unknown. I've been watching you, mortal. Most impressive."_

Hermaeus Mora? Oh Gods... "What do you want from me?"

_"Your continued service to Septimus renders him increasing obsolete. He has served me well, but his time is nearing its end. Once that infernal lockbox is opened, he will have exhausted his usefulness to me. When that time comes, you will be granted the ability to take his place as my newest Champion. What say you, Dragonborn?"_

His 'Champion'? That thought made her want to wretch. "There's not a damned thing you can offer me to make me serve you."

The Prince behind the abyss chuckled.  _"There is a great amount of hostility coming from you, devout of Hircine. You are already in service to him, another of my kind."_

"I don't have to aid - or even like -  _all_  of the Princes, you know."

_"Perhaps that is the case, but be warned. Many have thought the same way you do, and I have broken them all! In time, you will succumb to the desire for my vast wealth of knowledge as well."_

"Get out of my face."

 _"You cannot evade my grasp forever, Dragonborn."_  With that, the mass vanished, leaving the elf feeling lightheaded. She stumbled forward a little.

Bishop caught her when she was about to fall to her knees. "Wyllin!"

Him calling her name snapped her back into reality. She quickly regained herself and stood up straight. "Wh... What just happened?"

"Fuck if I know. You just stood there in some trance, mumbling incomprehensible shit to yourself. Maybe it's a bad idea to keep talking to that loon down there. He's starting to rub off on you."

"No, it wasn't because of Septimus. It was..." She sneered when she began to remember the conversation she had with the Prince. "Nevermind. We should get out of here. I want to make it back to Winterhold before night falls." After that, she turned and headed out of the cave and into the ice fields.

Bishop and Karnwyr glanced towards one another. Judging by the way the wolf looked at his brother, it would appear that both of them could feel something off about her. Who came to her in that trance? Maybe Bishop could dig for information later. For the time being, he had to rush out of the cave to keep up with Wyllin's brisk pace.

* * *

 

They settled at a table in the Frozen Hearth. Some mage was speaking to the innkeeper about an experiment gone wrong, so the two decided to wait until he finished to order food and a room for the night. Wyllin was paying a small amount of attention to the mage's conversation, but then Bishop spoke up and she turned that attention towards him instead.

"So, about Hircine..."

"You still want to know, eh?"

"Considering the little 'gift' he'd given you nearly had me killed, yeah. I'd like to know." He had a point.

"Fine, but your past with those bandits put  _my_ life on the line as well. If you want to know about Hircine, then I want to know about Thorn."

The thought of telling her about him was... Troubling, to say the least. He thought back to the conversation he had with Valdras.  _'Don't hide things from her.'_  As much as he hated to admit it, the guy was right. The Ranger sighed and nodded. "Fine. Deal."

"What do you want to know then?"

"Why did you decide to become a werewolf?"

Straight to the point, eh? She expected nothing less. "Maybe it's better for me to start earlier on. I spoke of Cyliel - my sister - before and what she did, yes?" His nod had her continuing. "When she betrayed me, I just... Became a completely different person. I lost a big part of my life. I was full of anger and spite towards everything. It was a really low point in my life. I cut ties and left Valenwood behind. For a long while, I was just lost. I wandered around without a care in the world about my life or anyone else's."

"And where does Hircine come in?"

"Well, one day I was out in the forests of... Eastern Cyrodiil, I think. I was hunting when I came across this... Pure white stag. It was majestic and beautiful, but it also taunted me. It wanted me to chase it, to hunt it. I gave into my instincts and spent half a day tracking it down. The moment I had the chance, I shot it cleanly through the eye and killed it. Or, well, I  _thought_ I killed it. That's when he appeared to me. Some massive figure wearing pelts, and an animal skull for a mask. He'd been observing my skills for a long time and offered me guidance - a chance to find myself again - for a price."

"He wanted you to take on lycanthropy."

"Yes, exactly. I gladly accepted it, and I still don't regret it to this day. Aside from occasional issues, I have it controlled by this point, even if it was extremely hard to do so at first. I fully embrace the beast blood in my veins, and the fact it meant my soul would be claimed by the Prince when I die..." Bishop gave her a concerned look, but she continued on pretty quickly. "There was still the matter of his promise though. He was the one who led me to Skyrim, and to Jorrvaskr."

"He's the reason you joined the Companions? Why?"

"Well, they could teach me honor and dignity. They could fix what my sister had broken. Hell, they made me a better person than I was  _before_ she did what she'd done, in the end. That, and there was one other thing..." He tilted his head to the side as she paused. "The Circle consisted exclusively of werewolves at the time. They were the ones who helped me get my beast under control, and kept me from... Causing issues with the locals whenever I couldn't stop myself."

"You mean Aela and those brothers are werewolves as well? That... Explains a lot, actually."

"Actually, Vilkas and Farkas cured themselves with my help. Aela wished to hold onto her gift though, and offers it to all new Circle members. Kodlak, the previous Harbinger, wanted to be cured as well, but he died before it could happen. The Silver Hand took his life, like I said before. They attacked Jorrvaskr because they hate werewolves."

"That's why they came after you back there."

"Yes, and that axe blade that hit me wasn't poisoned. It was silver, which is something werewolves are weak to, especially if it cuts into flesh. That doesn't matter right now though. Before Kodlak's death, he became a role model to me. He was the person I needed in my life. His death wounded me, but I had the others to back me up. I fulfilled his dying wish to cure his lycanthropy so he could go to Sovngarde." She laughed weakly. "I actually saw him there back when I was tracking down Alduin."

"Must've been proud of you,  _Dragonborn."_

She nudged the Nord's shoulder and smirked. "More than you know. Back when he was cured, he granted me the title of Harbinger, which everyone accepted. I was his protege, after all. So, that's it. That's the story of Hircine and my lycanthropy. I suppose you actually  _do_ have some type of animal magnetism."

He laughed at her comment. "Guess I do. Never expected to attract a werewolf though."

"Well, now you're stuck with one. Better get used to it. Now, you owe  _me_ answers."

He took a deep breath and prepared himself. Once he was ready, he nodded.

"Thorn. How did you two meet? What was your relation to him?"

He winced as he was forced to recall memories he spent years trying to bury away. The last thing he wanted to do was bring them back up, but she  _deserved_  to know after having to go through what that repulsive pig's crew had done. "That was a long time ago, shortly after I came to Skyrim with my brother ten years back. To put it bluntly, we were lost, and Thorn's  _friends_ took advantage of that. Two young and impressionable kids? It was easy for those assholes to get to us."

"So you joined up with him?"

"Yeah. By the time I figured out just what kind of disgusting creature he was, it was already too late. Jules and I were in too deep. We... Didn't have any sort of escape." He looked away from her and his hands balled into fists. "I helped that man with unspeakable things. Murder, torture, and even... I swear to the Gods I  _never_ touched a single woman he violated. I refused to sink to that level."

Her hand went up to cup his cheek, which had his eyes turning to her again. "It's alright. I believe you." She gave him a weak smile. "I doubt you ever had problems wooing the ladies anyway." That at least pulled a faint laugh from him.

"Yeah. He fucking hated that too." Bishop shook his head and decided to continue. "Still, the shit he'd done stuck with me. Sometimes it still haunts my dreams. Literally. I'm not even trying to be dramatic. Anyway, I  _did_ eventually find an out. I challenged that bastard shortly after Jules' death. We fought to a draw, but I fucked him up pretty damn badly before taking my leave. Left a pretty little gash by his jaw with my hunting knife. He always underestimated my abilities with it, despite the fact I've had this thing for years."

"Yeah, you seem attached to that thing. Where'd you even get it?"

He unsheathed it and looked it over. That was at least a slightly more pleasant topic for him to discuss. "This little beauty? I took it from the corpse of one of the bandits that raided the village I lived in with my...  _Family."_  There was a great deal of venom in his voice when he said that word. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to press him about that after he'd already shared his experiences with Thorn. "I was a little kid at the time, no older than eight. One of those idiots must've thought I was too young to defend myself. Sure as shit proved him wrong when I plunged this thing into his gut, and then finished him off with it."

"Sounds like a nice little token."

"Of course. I hung onto it all these years for a reason."

She examined the blade in his hand. She reached up and brushed her fingertips along his forearm. Then, without any sort of warning, she managed to snag the dagger from him. He gave her an almost dumbfounded look.

"What the fuck?"

She ignored the comment and gave the dagger a closer look. "I mean, it really is expertly crafted. Damn near flawless, actually. No wonder it's held up for a good twenty or so years. Blade's looking a bit dull though. Might want to get that sorted." She flicked it around in her hand, turning it through her fingers effortlessly. Showoff. After that, she handed it back to him.

He took the blade back and smirked as he sheathed it again. "You're pretty good with a dagger in your hands."

"Mhmm. It would seem that I'm especially good with yours."

That suggestive little comment had him grinning. "Can't deny that, sweetness. Jokes aside, I don't come across a whole lot of people who can wield blades like you. Here I thought Bosmer were only good with bows."

"Tch. It's rude to stereotype, you know." She rolled her eyes, but her tone and the little smile gracing her lips showed she was just teasing him. "My skills with blades were actually taught by a close friend of my family. She's dangerous with a pair of daggers in her hands. I'm not good with most other weapons though. I can barely handle a sword. Axes and maces are way too clunky for my tastes. I don't know the  _first thing_  about two handed weapons. I'm perfectly fine with a set of daggers though. They match my combat style well."

"Remind me to not mess with you when you have 'em on you then."

"I don't think you should mess with me at all, Ranger. I'm pretty dangerous in general."

"Really now? Think you could take me on?"

She cackled. "I wouldn't want to hurt that precious ego of yours by beating you into the ground."

"I'd like to see you try."

She reached over and pressed a hand to his unscarred cheek. Her thumb ran across his lower lip as she bit her own. When he gave her a questioning look, she leaned in and briefly kissed him. "Maybe one of these days you will. For right now, I think I'd like to take a walk around Winterhold before the sun completely sets. We can get a room afterwards."

"It's pretty cold out there at this hour, ladyship."

She looked him over after he said that. "And I'll have a strong Nord to keep me warm tonight. I think I'll do just fine."

Her comment had him smirking. "Yeah, you have a point."

She stood up from the table, and he soon followed. She then took hold of him by the bend of his arm and headed outside. Karnwyr had fallen asleep in the warmest place he could find outside, so they decided to not disturb him. At one point or another while they walked, his arm had wrapped around her shoulders and she'd rested her head against him. Her dragonscale cloak was pulled around her one shoulder to keep her warm. They both enjoyed the peacefulness of Winterhold at night, despite the chilling winds and the snowfall. It was nice to finally be at ease after everything that'd happened.

The peace was cut short when they were by the college. A familiar voice called out to them, which was easily picked up by the elf despite the wind. She turned to see a specific Altmer heading their way. "Thank the Gods that you're still here."

She gave Faralda a curious expression. "Yeah, I came to take care of something nearby. How did you even know I was here to begin with?"

"We'd gotten word from one of the students that you'd shown up in Winterhold not too long ago. Archmage Savos Aren has been wanting to speak with you for some time."

"Why would he want to talk to  _me,_ in specific?"

"He knows who you are."

"Right. Of course he does." She sighed and crossed her arms. "What could he possibly need the Dragonborn to aid him with?"

"He wouldn't tell me. In fact, not many in the college actually know. He just asked to have this delivered to you personally." She pulled out a rather formal-looking sealed envelope and handed it off to Wyllin. "He requests that you visit him at your earliest convenience. I must return to the college now before this weather gets any worse."

"Alright then. I'll look this over, but I'm not promising anything."

"You're under no obligation to respond, but please consider whatever he might be asking of you. He wouldn't call upon someone of your status if it wasn't a serious issue." With that, the Altmer said her goodbyes before heading off to the bridge. She cast a spell to ward off the winds to make the trip up the perilous path easier.

"Come on, we should get back inside as well." The Bosmer turned and started to head off.

"So first we gotta massacre a bunch of elves, and now you're receiving a formal invitation to join the mage's college. This has been a pretty interesting trip."

"You heard what Faralda said. It must be more than an invitation if he's requesting to speak with me. I'll look this over once we're inside." The two headed back inside the inn and took a seat back down at the table they were at before.

Bishop waved his hand towards the innkeeper, who walked over and took their orders. When he headed back off, Wyllin finally decided to open the envelope. Inside was a letter from Savos Aren, directed to her by name, instead of her title. Wow, someone  _actually_ knew it? She read over the letter, a troubled look forming towards the end of it.

"What's up?" He asked when she folded the piece of parchment again.

"The letter mentions something about strange magical energy being detected nearby the city. The Archmage is concerned that it could cause problems for Winterhold, and maybe all of the northern half of Skyrim."

"So he wants you to check it out?"

"He wants me to go to the college and speak with him first. He didn't mention the name of the place it's at in the letter. Must be really paranoid about others finding out about this."

"And I'm guessing you want to look into it?"

"Of course. If it's something that can cause an issue to the entirety of northern Skyrim, then I want to know what's going on."

"Great, so we have to deal with a bunch of guys in dresses."

"They're  _robes,_ Bishop."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Semantics."

She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm going to hear him out, whether you want to or not."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised. Can we at least eat and sleep first?"

"Well, I'm not going to be trudging up that bridge at night and in  _this_ weather. It can wait until morning." The letter was stuck in her side pouch.

The two started up their usual playful banter after getting their food. Her companion at least wasn't trying to chide her for her tendency to be too damn helpful to others anymore. Aside from passing comments, he mostly just accepted it. The both of them eventually retired to a room after they finished their meals. Bishop had found himself laying on his back with her on top of him soon after the door was closed. Their lips had met, and she was quick to start undoing the straps of his jacket. Given her typical hesitations, it never evolved past a particularly heated makeout session, but the intimacy was definitely appreciated nonetheless.

The next day soon rolled around. Wyllin's beast blood was relentless and she found herself spending half the night carving out arrowheads. Her supply had been running low after their journey anyway. Looking over her materials, she realized she'd need to restock on feathers at some point. That could come at a later date, however. They had other things to deal with before then.


	31. First Lessons

The two made their way to the bridge that led to the college the next day with Karnwyr following along behind them. Faralda greeted them at the bottom. She seemed pretty happy that Wyllin had decided to look into the Archmage's request. The Altmer brought them up to the gate and opened it for them like she'd done last time. After she headed off, they walked into the college grounds.

Bishop looked over to Wyllin. "So, what are we supposed to do now?"

"Find the Master Wizard, Mirabelle."

They didn't need to track her down, apparently. The very Breton they were after approached them when she'd seen that they'd entered the courtyard. "You must be the Dragonborn. Faralda had mentioned that she'd spoken to you last night. I believe we've met before?"

The elf turned to her. "Yes, I was here looking for the loremaster last time."

Mirabelle nodded. "It appears that we now understand why. Please, if you would follow me, Archmage Savos Aren would like to speak with you..." She looked towards Bishop. "In private, if at all possible."

Before he could complain, Wyllin spoke up. "Wherever I go, he comes with."

The wizard frowned. "I'm not sure how happy the Archmage will be about this."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, he'll just have to accept it. If he wants my help, then he has to deal with Bishop as well."

"I suppose we don't have a choice on the matter. He may come along with us then, though the wolf does need to stay outside."

"Not a problem." Wyllin knelt down in front of Karnwyr and patted his head. "Stay outside, boy. We'll only be a minute." He tilted his head, as if trying to understand her. When she held out her hand as a gesture for him to stay, he seemed to understand and padded off to find somewhere to keep out of the light snowfall.

"You've known him for how long and you're still treating him like a dog?" Bishop grumbled.

"Quiet, you. At least he  _listens_ to me."

The wizard looked between the two with a puzzled expression. "Right then. Well, Archmage Aren is waiting for you."

She nodded towards Mirabelle, and then proceeded to follow her into the building, with Bishop trailing behind. From off to the corner of the Bosmer's eye, she noticed someone staring at her as she walked past the Hall of the Elements. Damnit. That Thalmor was still there, and he didn't look at all happy to see her. She did her best to ignore his gaze and continued on her way to the Archmage's quarters.

"Archmage Aren?" Mirabelle called out when they reached the landing to his quarters. "I've brought miss Wyllin Springlock, the Dragonborn, here to meet with you."

"Have you now? Good." A Dunmer appeared from behind a wall that blocked off part of the room from view. He was dressed in elegant blue robes, lined with white fur. A hood covered the majority of his face. As he walked over to the group, Mirabelle dismissed herself. "I don't believe we've met."

"No we haven't, sir."

"Sir?" Savos chuckled. "How quaint." His eyes then turned towards the Nord who stood behind her. "And who might your friend be? I thought I was to speak with you privately."

"This is Bishop. I've already told Mirabelle that I will only speak to you if he accompanies me."

That brought a sigh from the Archmage, but he nodded soon after. "Very well. I doubt he'll cause much trouble. I assume Faralda gave you the letter I wrote."

"She did." She reached into her side pouch and pulled out the letter, which had the Archmage's seal on the front. "It mentioned something about a powerful magical energy nearby the city?"

"Yes. You see, we've had our eyes on an ancient Nordic city known as Saarthal, which was recently uncovered by explorers and then brought to our attention. When we first started looking into the ruins, Mirabelle had picked up on something buried away underneath it when she scanned the area for magical activity. Upon further investigation, she felt it could be dangerous enough to cause problems."

"A dangerous magical energy within Nordic ruins? That sounds... Odd."

"I assume you say this because of the modern day Nords' distaste for magic in general. That wasn't always the case. In fact, one of the most powerful mages in existence was a Nord named Shalidor. The statue in the courtyard is a depiction of him, but I digress. We took an interest in Saarthal due to the fact there was a book written on something hidden beneath the once-great city."

"There has to be more to it than that."

"Sadly enough, not much is known about it. Given what Mirabelle picked up on, however, we have reason to believe it might be worth looking into. Should whatever is containing this power fall into the wrong hands, it may cause devastating damage to not only this province, but also much of Tamriel. We've decided that it would be best to secure it at the college until we can figure out how to properly contain and deal with it."

"Well, investigating it doesn't sound like it'd be much of a problem to a college of trained mages. Why are you asking for my help?"

"A valid question, miss Springlock. I would not call upon an outsider unless I deem it absolutely necessary. You see, I want to keep as few members of the college involved with this as I can, as I feel some should not be trusted with knowledge of this venture."

"You can't trust your own guild members?"

"Well, I can't trust one in particular. Surely you must have seen him around by now."

Wyllin thought on his words for a moment, before finally seeming to understand who he meant. "The Thalmor."

"Correct. I'm only allowing him to stay in the college and 'advise' me to appease the Dominion. Truthfully, none of us really desire for him to be here. Mirabelle herself has stated that his demands for knowledge on the happenings around the college have made her uncomfortable with his presence in the past. I feel it would be problematic to allow information of our findings Saarthal get back to him until we know what we are dealing with."

"So why do you believe you can trust  _me_ with this in particular."

Her question had Savos chuckling again. "Many are aware of your distaste for the Thalmor. Ancano himself has spoken to his superiors about what happened at the embassy."

"Oh great. So that got back to him as well." Wyllin rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but rest assured that none of us here judge you for your actions. Your willingness to defy them has made you a suitable candidate for this task, even if you aren't a member of the college."

"Why can't you have a member that you  _do_ trust do this then?"

"As of right now, there are only three who are privy to this knowledge. That would be Mirabelle, Tolfdir, and myself. Given my status as Archmage, Mirabelle's as Master Wizard, and Tolfdir's as the Alteration professor, it would be hard for any of us to find the free time to look into this matter without arousing suspicion from Ancano, my Thalmor advisor. You just might fly under his radar if you pose as a new student, however."

"And you're  _sure_ he won't be suspicious of me as well?"

"Not unless you give him a reason to be."

Wyllin paused to think over his idea. The thought of looking into an ancient magical artifact hidden under a ruined Nordic city definitely sounded interesting to her, but she was still very conflicted. Before she could come up with a response, Bishop spoke for her.

"And you expect her to just do all of this out of the goodness of her heart?"

Her eyes shot towards her companion and her voice lowered to a hiss.  _"Bishop!"_

His words surprisingly managed to bring a soft laugh from Savos. "I can safely assure that you both will be compensated heavily by the college for your aid in this exploration, both in resources and in wealth." Well,  _that_ piqued the attention of the Nord.

"I suppose it can't hurt to look into it. If all of Tamriel's at risk because of this energy source, it might be a good idea to secure it before something bad happens."

"Thank you for your support, Dragonborn. Tolfdir will be taking our newest students on a field trip to Saarthal soon as a cover to look into what's going on below it. Perhaps you should speak with him personally before this happens. He should be starting his morning lessons soon."

"I can do that."

"Oh, and one other thing before you go."

"Yes?"

He looked the elf over. "I feel your current choice in wardrobe may be off-putting to the students. While you're not required to wear them, Mirabelle might be able to provide you with standard college robes. Please also speak to her at some point about a place to stay in the college while you're working with us as well."

"Alright. I'll look into it. Good day, Archmage." After her goodbye, she turned to head out of his quarters, with Bishop following behind. When they made it back to the Hall of the Elements, Mirabelle was actually waiting for them.

She looked up from the book she was reading. "Ah, I presume the Archmage has filled you in?"

"Yes. I'll look into things. He mentioned something about a temporary living space?"

"Of course. New students are held in the Hall of Attainment. Follow me." She headed out into the cold with the other two in tow. "While you technically aren't a student, we should have a place for you to stay in the hall for the time being. I ask that you keep your voice down while you're in there, as others may be studying or working on... Delicate experiments." She led them off to the building on their right. Once they were inside, they were taken to an empty room not too far from the entrance. "Here you are. Should you desire to change into robes, basic ones are provided in the wardrobe to your right. While their enchantments aren't the most powerful out there, they will still aid your magical abilities a good deal. Don't worry about sizing issues. They are also enchanted to magically fit to your figure once you put them on. Also, I apologize, but I don't believe we have a room available for your friend here."

"Don't worry, we'll sort it out. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Please let me know if there's anything else you need." With that, she turned and headed out back outside.

When Mirabelle was gone, Wyllin turned to the wardrobe. "Hey, shut the door, will you?"

"You're not  _seriously_ thinking about putting robes on, are you?" Despite his question, he did as she asked.

"It would probably be best to fit in. I can't have Ancano being suspicious of me if I want this to turn out well for the college." She didn't want to know what that Thalmor prick would do with the mysterious object below Saarthal if he got his hands on it. She pulled out a set of robes, a hood, and a pair of mage's boots. While there were also gloves, she opted out of them due to her touch-based Restoration magic. After she set the gear off to the side, she began to strip out of her armor.

Bishop leaned back against the closed door. "At least I'm getting a show out of this."

"Hahah,  _very_  funny," She rolled her eyes. Once her armor was off, she slipped into the robes, pulled on the boots, and adjusted the hood over her head. Then her attention was turned back towards the Nord as she fought to pull her hair out from the hood. "How do I look?"

"Like a damned mage. How else are you going to look?"

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Why do I feel like that's an insult when it comes from you?" Then she looked back towards the wardrobe. She walked over to it again and produced a set of robes clearly fit for a male, which she presented to him with a devious grin. "Here, we can match!"

"Don't you even  _think_  about trying, ladyship!"

"Oh come  _on._ I think you'll look nice in this!"

"There is not a damn thing in all of Nirn that you can say or do to get me into that dress!"

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a rather suggestive smile. "Are you so sure about that?"

"Don't you even  _try_  to tempt me like that. It isn't going to work."

That had her pouting playfully at him. "Fine, killjoy." She put the robes away. Then she moved to pack up her armor, which she had plenty of room for in her bag. While it would definitely be odd to wear with the robes, she chose to keep her cloak out. It would help a great deal against magic, just as it did with the dragons' breath attacks. After it was around her shoulders again, looked back towards Bishop again. "Come on, we should probably get to Tolfdir."

"Lead the way."

She did just that. Tolfdir was undoubtedly in the Hall of the Elements by that point, so she headed off towards there. Despite the fact the robes  _did_ fit, they were definitely a bit weird to get used to. Hopefully her Alteration spells would be enough to protect her from whatever was to come. As they entered the hall, they could hear Tolfdir speaking to three students.

When he noticed Wyllin and Bishop enter, he gestured for them to come closer. "Welcome, welcome! We were just getting started. Please, stay and listen." Once they were by the other three students, he continued. "So, as I was saying, the first thing to understand about magic is that it is, by its very nature, volatile and dangerous. If not used properly, it can and  _will_ destroy you."

A young female dark elf spoke up. "Sir, I think we all understand that very well. We wouldn't be here if we didn't know how to control magic!"

"Of course, my dear. Of course! You all possess some inherent ability, that much is not being questioned. What I'm talking about is true control, mastery of magic. It takes years - if not decades - of practice and study."

The Khajiit standing nearby was the next to speak. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!"

"This is exactly what I'm talking about, don't you see? Eagerness must be tempered with patience and caution, or else disaster is inevitable!"

A robed Nord then chipped in. "But we've only just arrived here, Master Tolfdir. You've no idea what any of us are capable of! Why not give us a chance to show you what we can do?"

"Hmm..." The elder wizard stroked his beard and then turned to Wyllin. "You've been quiet thus far. What do you think we should do?"

She frowned and looked over the group, trying to come up with an answer. It was true that they all must've possessed some aptitude in magic if Faralda had let them in... "Maybe we should learn something practical."

"Is that so?"

The Dunmer spoke again. "See? She agrees with us too! Why don't you actually show us something?"

Tolfdir nodded. "Very well, then. I suppose we can try something practical, yet very basic. In continuing with our theme of safety, we will start with wards. Wards are protective spells that block offensive magic, much like a shield blocks a sword. I will show you how to cast a ward, and we'll see how quickly you can learn to do so." His eyes settled on the Bosmer again. "Since you wanted to learn something practical, why don't you try this out first? Are you at all familiar with ward spells?"

"No, can't say that I am."

"That's not a problem. I have a tome for a very basic ward spell with me. Just give me a moment." He reached into a satchel and dug out a small book with a yellow cover. "While these are Restoration spells, and not my area of expertise, wards are very simple to learn. Please read over the incantation and I will show you the proper way to cast it."

Wyllin took the book when it was handed to her. She leafed through the pages until she came across the incantation he was talking about. It was short and simple, compared to others she'd seen before. The words were muttered under her breath a few times, and then the book was closed and handed back to him. "I think I'm ready."

He put the tome away. "Very good. Here, I'll show you the proper gesture for it." He widened his stance a little, and then held out his left hand straight ahead of him. Fingers were splayed out. When he uttered the incantation from the tome, began to form. A wave of pure force started in the middle of his palm and then almost instantly spread to cover most of his body from the front. After holding it there for a moment for everyone to examine, he curled his fingers up and the ward dissipated. "There. That's how it's done. Now, would you please attempt to replicate that?"

She nodded and held out her hand, making an attempt to match what she'd seen Tolfdir do previously. Stance widened, arm outstretched, fingers splayed. Once the incantation was spoken, the ward sprung to life, and she had to do her best to not jump out of shock.

"Very well done! Perfect form. Now, I will show the others how you properly block a spell. Please stay there and don't move. Don't worry, this spell is purely for demonstration and won't cause any harm." The thought of  _anything_ being casted at her was concerning. Still, she tried to hold still as he started to cast his spell. By the time he was about to send it at her, she was somewhat shaky. When it was shot at her, she faltered. It collided with her failing ward and caused a small burst of harmless sparks to fly out. She squeaked and stumbled back, nearly falling onto her ass when she did so.

While the other three students looked at each other with concern, Bishop was cracking up. "Seems like you can conquer damn near everything except a novice ward spell."

Wyllin groaned and dusted herself off after regaining her balance. "Shut up before I send you flying out into the Sea of Ghosts."

He held up his hands in mock defeat, but still couldn't help but continue to snicker.

"Would you like to try as well, young man?" Tolfdir asked, which calmed him down pretty damn quickly. The old mage smirked and then turned back to the elf. "That was impressive for your first time casting a ward. Would you like to make another attempt?"

She hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. "Sure."

"Here, why don't I cast the ward and you send a spell at me? This will allow you to see it in action. You surely know offensive spells."

"A couple of them, yes." Unless he counted her Shouts as 'offensive spells', but she wasn't about ready to let her Thu'um loose in such a confined area. "Just tell me when you're ready."

He summoned his ward and then nodded at her. "Go ahead."

She held up her own hand. While her offensive spells were limited, she settled on the weakest form of the one she knew best. A small gout of green, spore-infested mist sprung out from the tips of her fingers. It launched right into the ward in front of her. When it collided, the mist and the spores held within it dissipated into thin air.

"What was that?" The Dunmer murmured to the other two, who could only respond with confused looks.

"Impressive," Tolfdir complimented as he released his ward. "Faralda had told me that you mentioned having a skilled mage for a mother, who trained you back in Valenwood."

"Yep. Surprisingly my kind is good with more than just bows, despite what  _some_ like to believe." Her gaze shifted towards Bishop, who just rolled his eyes in response. "Anyway, I think I got a grasp on what I'm supposed to do now."

"Very good. Let's try this again."

It took a couple more times before Wyllin was able to successfully block a spell with the ward. While she was nowhere close to perfect, she definitely improved greatly. As Tolfdir was teaching the robed Nord the same ward spell, the Dunmer made her way over to Wyllin and Bishop.

"Hello there," She greeted.

The Bosmer offered her a smile. "Hello."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I was curious about that spell you used against Tolfdir. I've never seen anything like it before. Is it something that's taught in Valenwood?"

"Well, it's actually known by many druids and sages all over Tamriel, but it definitely has some roots in my homeland. The spell is called 'Seed of Life', which is rather ironic considering what it actually  _does_ to the person it's casted on."

"Oh?"

Wyllin gave a nervous laugh. "Let's just say that Tolfdir is lucky his ward held up."

The Dunmer returned the laugh. "Well, regardless, it's nice to meet you. I have a family with strong ties to magic as well, but that's something I'd rather not discuss right now. I'd definitely like to train with you sometime whenever you're available. We could probably teach each other a lot!"

The thought definitely had her hesitating. She was really only there to help with Saarthal, but maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. "Sure. I'll see when I have the time. What's your name, by the way?"

"Brelyna Maryon, and you?"

"Wyllin Springlock."

Brelyna gave her a bit of a curious expression. "Wyllin Springlock. That name... You're... You're the Dragonborn, aren't you?"

"Seems like everyone knows that nowadays. Yes, I am."

The dark elf looked almost awestruck. "Wow! The Dragonborn herself is studying at the College of Winterhold! I'm sure you could teach us all a lot!"

"Maybe. I'm sure I can fill the loremaster in on things relating to dragons and their Shouts. Though I have other things to do right now."

"Of course. I should get back to the lesson. It was a pleasure talking to you!" She bowed politely and then darted back over to Tolfdir and the other students.

"You're just gaining admirers wherever you go, ladyship. At least this one isn't some lust-filled maniac boot-kisser like most of the others you seem to attract. Speaking of which, I wonder where that mage we met the last time we were in Winterhold got to. Maybe they threw him out."

"Don't go trying to pick a fight with him again, Bishop," She warned, scowling at the Ranger.

"I won't, I won't... Unless he gives me a reason to."

She growled.  _"Bishop!"_

"Hey now, I wasn't  _completely_ serious!"

The elf groaned. "You're impossible." She then turned her attention back to the lesson.

It seemed that the Khajiit was up next. Despite his bravado at the beginning, he definitely wasn't the greatest with ward spells, but played it off as well as he could. After Brelyna - who admittedly was a little clumsy - got a little practice in, things were wrapped up.

"Well," Tolfdir began once the students gathered around again. "I think this is an excellent start! You all show great promise. I'd like you all to continue practicing with wards, please. Though we will be taking a field trip tomorrow to explore various applications of magic throughout history."

"Where to?" The Nord student asked.

"Saarthal. It's an ancient Nordic city not too far from Winterhold that we've begun excavation on recently. It will be an excellent learning opportunity! You are all free to go and continue your studies on your own. Good day, students."

Wyllin waited around while the three students left. When it was just her, Bishop, and Tolfdir in the hall, she approached the wizard. "I was told to speak with you in private, Master Tolfdir?"

"Ah, yes. I expected your arrival, but I didn't want to mention anything in front of the others. I assume you've already met with Archmage Aren?"

"Mhmm. He filled me in about Saarthal."

"It's good that you arrived when you did, Dragonborn. We wouldn't have been able to hold off further excavation for much longer without drawing the suspicion of our Thalmor associate."

"No one around here seems to trust him, huh? Not that I'm blaming them."

"He's ahh..." The old Nord paused as he tried to find the right words. "His methods are concerning, and the fact a Thalmor is so close to the Stormcloak aligned city of Winterhold has left the residents further on edge about us. Needless to say, we've all had our eyes on him for a while."

"I've never really trusted the Dominion as a whole, but he's not important right now. What exactly am I going to be doing in Saarthal?"

"You'll be helping us find a way deeper into it, and potentially aid us in uncovering this artifact emitting the strong magical energies Mirabelle picked up on when she looked into the area."

"Is that everything?"

"That depends on what we're dealing with. You'll be privy to information not known by most others in the college, so we might have further use for you depending on what we find, but that's for us to figure out at a later date. I won't keep you much longer. Should you ever need anything that could potentially aid you during this mission, the knowledge held within the Arcaneum is at your disposal."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

"And make sure to continue your studies on wards. You show great promise." His compliment had her smiling. After goodbyes were exchanged, she headed out of the hall with Bishop.

They made it out into the courtyard. When her companion whistled, Karnwyr came running towards the two.

"Think they'll mind if we let him stay in the Hall of Attainment with us?" Wyllin asked as she patted the wolf on the head.

"Probably, but I assume you're just going to do it anyway." That had her flashing him a devious little smile. "Speaking of which, what exactly are we going to do with that? The bed isn't exactly built for two people, ladyship."

"Well, we have bedrolls on us. You can just sleep on the floor."

He rolled his eyes. "Despite how much you call me one, I'm  _not_ an animal."

"Too bad. It's a temporary fix until we figure out something for later. I get the feeling we'll be staying here for a while."

_"Fantastic."_

"Oh be quiet. It could be worse. Come on, I want to get out of this weather." She started to head towards the Hall of Attainment. As she did, someone caught her attention. Someone in all-too familiar robes. Ancano made eye contact with her, and they both shared the same scowl on their faces as they looked at one another. She eventually averted her gaze from him and pulled her hood further over her head. There wasn't any need to start a confrontation... For the time being.

When he vanished into the Hall of the Elements, Bishop spoke. "Seems like you've already made an enemy."

"I've never been a friend to the Thalmor."

"Mind filling me in on why?"

"They've caused issues for my home village back in Valenwood in the past. We'll leave it at that for now. Honestly, what we did at their embassy was definitely a nice bit of revenge, even if I didn't get to cut Elenwen's throat in the process."

"You really must have a vendetta against them. Can't say that I blame you."

"Yeah, mind if we get off that topic?"

"Alright then, what do you want to do?"

She thought about his question, and then flashed him a devilish grin. "Why don't I practice a few spells on you?"

"Fuck no!"

She cackled and flicked her wrist. Her hand began to glow a bluish green color. Bishop bolted from her when he noticed, and she quickly followed after, with a clueless Karnwyr chasing him as well. The latter eventually caught up with his brother and tackled him to the ground. The moment the Nord got the wolf off of him, Wyllin was on top of him instead. Just when it seemed as though she was going to cast whatever spell she had readied on him, she balled up her hand and canceled the spell in it, before lowering it to her side.

He sat upright with her on his lap. "That was a lot of work to get me in this position, princess. You know, someone could catch us like this at any moment. Maybe we should find somewhere more secluded?"

"Maybe we can... Later. For right now, I just want to get inside." She pressed a kiss against his lips before getting back onto her feet. Once he got back up as well, she set back off towards the Hall of Attainment again.


	32. The Secret in Saarthal

The journey to Saarthal was tedious, to put it lightly. What Tolfdir had neglected to mention was the fact it was far off the beaten trail. They had to climb over snow mounds and fend off a few Ice Wraiths and wolves. Eventually, they arrived and waited for the others to get there as well. A good part of their time was spent underneath an excavation platform to get out of the snow. Wyllin had her cloak pulled tight around her, trying to keep her teeth from chattering. Bishop decided to pull her close against him at one point. He was far more resistant to the cold due to the Atmoran ice in his veins, and his warmth was well appreciated. They parted again when the sound of voices could be heard above them.

"And here we are. It's good to see that everyone's arrived, despite the elements not being in our favor." Tolfdir smiled and looked around. "Are we all ready to step inside?" The three students and Wyllin all stated they were. "Very good. Follow me and please stay close. While it should be safe, it's always good to be careful." Tolfdir entered first, followed by the students, and then finally Wyllin and her group.

When they entered, she found herself behind the Nord mage. From what she could make of his expression, he didn't seem all that happy to be there. "Are you alright?"

He turned to look at her. "Oh. Well... I'm not sure we should be here."

"Why not?"

"I can't see anyone in authority actually approved of this. My ancestors should be allowed to rest in peace."

"I'm sure Master Tolfdir will keep everyone from disturbing this place too much. We're just here to learn about ancient magic, not stir up trouble."

He sighed. "Yeah, I suppose you have a point. I just hope the others don't take things too far. Say, you're Wyllin, right?" She nodded in response. "Brelyna was talking about you last night. She mentioned that you're the Dragonborn?"

"She would be correct."

"Wow, to be in the presence of a Nordic legend... I have to admit, when I first learned that the Dragonborn's a Bosmer..."

"You couldn't believe it?" She finished. "Maybe you expected a Nord?" He gave a worried expression when she stated that, but she just laughed in response. "Everyone does, don't worry. I've had a lot of citizens doubt me until I showed them the power of my Voice. Hopefully I won't need to demonstrate it for you."

"Oh! There's no need for that! I believe you!" He chuckled. "It's good to see you have a sense of humor though. My name is Onmund, by the way."

She offered him a polite smile. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Onmund."

"The pleasure is mine." He then looked back towards the other Nord, who seemed to be scowling at him. "Who might your friend be? He doesn't look to be a college mage."

"Oh, this is Bishop, and he isn't a mage. He mostly just accompanies me. It can get lonely when you're constantly on the road."

"Ah, it's good to meet you as well then, Bishop." When he didn't respond, the mage frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, he's always like that. Don't let him bother you." Her companion just grunted. "Anyway, it looks like we're nearing wherever Master Tolfdir wants us to be."

"Seems so." When Onmund headed off to catch up with the others, Wyllin looked over at Bishop, and then jabbed him in the arm.

He glared at her and rubbed where she'd hit him. "The fuck was that for?"

"Stop acting like that!" She growled through gritted teeth. "I'm just trying to make friends here, and I don't need you scaring them off!"

He just rolled his eyes and didn't bother responding to her. Karnwyr looked at the two and tilted his head before giving a small whimper. Bishop looked back at him and rolled his eyes. "Don't go giving me that shit now."

"What's so important about this place?" Brelyna asked once she reached the landing where Tolfdir stood.

"We're investigating the presence of magical seals placed around the city. It's unlike anything we've ever seen from Nordic ruins before!"

"Okay, so what are we looking for?"

"Anything that might be of interest. We have no idea what we're going to find, and that's why this place is so fascinating. And if, along the way, my teachings on the dangers of magic should happen to sink in for a few students, that would be a happy coincidence." He then looked around the small group. "Let's see now... Brelyna, my dear. Why don't you search for warding magics? J'zargo, there are some runes just over there that I'd like you to investigate. Please don't touch them! Onmund, Arniel Gane might need some assistance in translating some old texts he found. He's just beyond the corridor behind me. As for you, Wyllin..." Each of the three headed off once they were given their instructions, allowing Tolfdir to speak with the Bosmer more privately. "There's an unexplored area not too far past where Arniel is at. I'd like you to investigate it and see if you can find an entrance further into Saarthal. If you do, let me know."

"Sure thing." She headed off in the direction Onmund went previously. When she walked past where Arniel was at, she entered into the small area Tolfdir mentioned. After a short while of investigating it, she came across a few enchanted pieces of jewelry, but none of them aided her on the task Tolfdir had given her. Bishop suggested that she kept them and sold them once they got out of the ruins, but she just rolled her eyes and stuck them in her side pouch to hand over to Arniel later. Eventually, she came across something more interesting than dusty pieces of enchanted jewelry.

"What is that thing?" Bishop asked as he eyed the odd-looking doorway.

"Not too sure, but there isn't anything else like it here. Wait, there's something coming out of it." She walked closer.

"Wait, ladyship-" Too late.

She pulled out what seemed to be some type of amulet from a small protrusion in the wall. Suddenly, it started to glow, and the loud sound of screeching iron bars could be heard from behind her. Oh shit...

"Gods be damned, woman!" Her companion growled. "Look at what you've done!"

When she turned around, it became very apparent that she'd trapped Bishop, Karnwyr, and herself behind the bars. Any exit out of the small area was blocked off completely. "What's going on?"

"Fuck if I know!"

Soon, Tolfdir appeared, with Arniel and Onmund trailing behind him. "What on Nirn was all that racket! What... How did you get locked up in there?"

"I don't know! I pulled this amulet from that wall over there and suddenly... This!"

The elder looked over the amulet she held out. "It appears to be glowing... And so does that wall back there. Try putting it on?"

She did so and slipped the artifact around her neck. After she did, the glowing became stronger, and wisps of light began to reach out towards the door.

Tolfdir examined the scene. "Very peculiar. Is there any way to get past that wall?"

"Let me see." She walked over towards the wall and examined it. Her fingers trailed along the intricate engravings. "This is an ancient Nordic tomb... I wonder if..." She took a step back. "Bishop, get out of the way." He quickly did what she told him to do, and Karnwyr followed suit. With that, she turned towards the wall again and took a deep breath.  _"FUS RO DAH."_  Her shout echoed throughout the ruins, causing everyone in close proximity to cover their ears. Apparently, her idea worked. The wall was blasted apart and the bars lifted up soon after.

"Way to think on your feet, princess." The Ranger's words had her grinning over at him.

The professor walked towards them and examined the scene. "Well, that was certainly something to behold! It looks like this will lead us further in. I think it would be best if only you and I go..." He glanced back towards her companion. "And your friend, if he so desires."

"Yeah. Maybe Karnwyr should wait out here as well. It won't be too long, and we'll come back for him after. I promise he won't cause any trouble." Arniel and Onmund eyed the wolf. The elf chuckled and walked towards them. "Onmund, here." She slid her bag off her shoulders and fished out a small package from it. Once her bag was back in place, she unwrapped the package to reveal a piece of beef. "I bought this from the innkeeper to give to Karnwyr. Food's the best way to earn his trust!"

"I... Uh..." The mage reluctantly accepted the meat when she handed it to him. He then went back to staring at the wolf, who came over when Wyllin whistled and snapped her fingers. After a bit of urging for him to offer the beef to Karnwyr, he eventually did. The wolf tentatively sniffed it, and then took the whole piece out of the Nord's hands and devoured it. Once he'd done so, he looked back towards the mage, who then held out his hand when the elf prompted him to do so. Another tentative sniff came from the wolf, but he soon pressed his head against the mage's hand, allowing him to gently run his fingers through his fur.

"He likes you already!" Wyllin chuckled, which had Onmund smiling a little.

Bishop groaned and crossed his arms. "Oh come  _on,_ Karnwyr. Are you a wolf or a house dog?" His brother simply looked back at him for a moment, but then turned his attention back towards his new friend.

"Think you can watch over him for a bit, Onmund? He shouldn't be too much of a hassle."

"Yeah... I think... Maybe?"

"Thank you! We'll be back soon. Don't worry!" With that, she jogged off towards the other two.

Bishop stared at her in disbelief as she made her way back to him. "How the hell can you make a vicious predator act like a damn puppy?"

"I have a way with animals, Bishop. I mean, look at you. I've tamed you pretty damn good as well!" She grinned at him.

"Hilarious." He rolled his eyes. "Come on, don't we have Nordic ruins to explore or something? Let's just go." He stepped past the busted up wall after Tolfdir, and Wyllin followed along, the same shit-eating grin still plastered onto her face. They walked through a cave-like tunnel for a while, until eventually coming across another room. Three Nordic coffins surrounded them, and there was no visible way out.

"So this is... It?" Wyllin asked. "Well, that was anticlimactic."

"No, there must be more to it than that. Hang on. I'll look..." He stopped talking. In fact, he stopped  _moving_ all together. Everything around them seemed to slow down. Even Bishop wasn't saved from it.

"Hold, mage, and listen well!" An unfamiliar voice called out, which had her attention locking on a figure of an Altmer in odd-looking robes. "Know that you've set in motion a specific chain of events that cannot be stopped. Judgement has not been passed, as you had no way of knowing. Judgement will be passed on your actions to come, and how you deal with the dangers ahead. This warning is passed to you because the Psijic Order believes in you. You, mage, and you alone have the potential to prevent disaster. Take great care, and know the Order is watching." Just as she was about to respond, the Altmer's figure dissipated, and time began to move forward again.

"... I swear I felt something strange just then. What... What happened?"

Wyllin turned to face him. "Time stopped. You and Bishop were both just... Frozen in place. And some type of apparition spoke to me?"

"Apparition? I'm afraid I didn't see anything. Can you tell me more?"

"It was someone who claimed to be from something called the 'Psijic Order'. He talked about danger ahead... And my ability to prevent disaster? It all happened too fast."

"The Psijic Order? Danger ahead? Prevent disaster? I'm not quite sure what to think of that."

She shrugged. "I don't even know what the Psijic Order even  _is._ "

"Not many do anymore, Dragonborn. They were a group of powerful mages that predates the Empire. Not much was known about them. They were very elusive, secretive."

"You keep speaking about them in past tense."

"Yes, because they vanished long ago. All of their members were called back to their sanctuary on the Isle of Artaeum, which then disappeared. No one has heard from them since."

"But one just spoke to me?"

"I know. Fascinating. Assuming they  _are_ from the Order, you are the first one I know of who's been contacted by them in over a hundred years! I would take it as a compliment. Even when they made trips to Tamriel, they never spoke to just anyone." He sighed. "Well, that's not important right now. We should keep moving. There must be something here..." He turned back to the coffin he was about to approach and continued towards it. The moment he got too close, it must've triggered something. All three of the coffins opened at once, revealing what was behind them.

"Draugr," Wyllin growled. She pulled out her blades and glared at the enemies. The first one to attempt anything was the one she pounced on and ripped into. Another tried to approach her from behind, but was shot in the arm by her Ranger companion. The third was being occupied by Tolfdir. With their combined efforts, it wasn't too hard to take them down.

"Looks like there's a way deeper," Bishop commented, gesturing towards the coffin in the center of the room. It didn't have a back, and led to a tunnel on the other side.

Tolfdir took the lead again, with the other two sticking close behind him. Soon enough, they reached another room. After opening up the iron gate, they stepped into a large circular area with coffins lining the wall. In the middle was a bridge that crossed over a pool of water, which was surrounded by candles. "Unbelievable! I've never seen anything like this in Nordic ruins before! Why, just look at all these coffins!" The moment he moved further in, many of those coffins opened. That time, they were clearly outnumbered, and in a confined space.

Wyllin bolted to the center of the room and called upon her summons to even the odds. Bishop stood by the entrance with his bow. Tolfdir readied his fire spells, though he was taken aback by the fact the Bosmer had summoned  _three_ spectral wolves to her side with very little effort. There wasn't much time to think about that, as they needed to take down the undead swarming them. As the wolves viciously attacked any draugr that got near her, she shot down enemies along with Bishop. A few tried to go after Tolfdir as he was preparing spells, but they didn't get very far before they were either blasted by him or taken out by an arrow.

Once it was all over, Tolfdir approached Wyllin. "You show great promise with Conjuration. I don't see many who can handle three summoned creatures this easily."

"They're still wolves, and I'm a Bosmer." She waved her hand to dismiss the summons. "My mother's trained me well."

"Indeed she has," He chuckled, and then he looked around. "This room bears closer inspection. I'd like to stay a while and examine it. You should go on and see if you can find anything about the magical presence. I'll catch up with you before long."

"Alright." She headed towards the other end of the room. A few chains needed to be pulled, but the gate that led further in soon opened. She looked back towards Bishop to make sure he was ready and then headed through. A few more draugr made themselves known as they walked further into the ruins, but they were few and far between. As long as the two had a good ranged advantage, they were picked off easily. Then something had Wyllin stopping.

"What's up, ladyship?"

She pointed a finger to the floor. "Can you see that?" Something was on the ground a few feet away from them. It took a moment for him to realize just what it was, and he immediately stepped back. "A rune. Fire, by the looks of it. I wonder how long it's been here... And if it's still active."

"I'm not too sure that I want to find out."

"Oh, don't be a wimp. Just move back a little more." She backed up until she was next to him, and then pulled out her bow. An arrow was fired, which immediately set off the still very much active rune. It exploded into a burst of flames, which actually caught a few nearby draugr on fire. Luckily, Wyllin and Bishop were a safe distance away from it. "There we go. Shouldn't be a problem anymore... And neither should those draugr."

After the fire died down, they continued on. More of those damned undead. It seemed as though Nordic ruins had a never-ending supply of them. They got progressively stronger, but were taken out with a bit of luck. Wyllin mused the thought of learning a few fire spells to counter them the next time she had to explore a tomb. A little ways of walking later, and Bishop was the one to stop her.

"Pressure plate," He simply stated, motioning towards the raised part of flooring.

Wyllin eyed it and then picked up a sizeable rock. It was chucked at the pressure plate, which, in turn, caused a bunch of undoubtedly poisoned bolts to be released on the other side of the bend they'd need to turn down in order to progress further. She frowned as she examined it further. "Looks just small enough for us to easily get past, thankfully. At least you noticed it." The elf carefully walked towards the plate, and then hopped over it to get to the other side. "I don't see anything else ahead. Guess it's just this one."

Bishop soon joined her on the other side of the pressure plate, taking a good amount of care to not set it off as he went. He then looked back at it. "If there's two things ancient Nords liked in their time, it was draugr and traps. I never really cared to explore ruins like these, even if there are treasures inside most of them."

"Treasures that could potentially be  _cursed._ " As Wyllin said that word, she raised her hands and wiggled her fingers in a 'creepy' fashion, trying to not giggle in the process.

He laughed. "Still treasures, princess. I don't care if they give the poor bastard they're sold to a poltergeist or ten years of bad luck. As long as they put gold in my pocket, to Oblivion with the rest."

She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "You're something else. Come on, we still need to find this... Whatever the college is looking for." With that, she turned and continued on, though she warily eyed the little holes the bolts would come out of. The last thing she needed to do was treat a poison wound. A puzzle came up next. Given the things Wyllin had dealt with in the past in these places, it was fairly standard stuff. Move an obelisk to match with the animal depiction on some plaque. Soon enough, a lever was pulled and the gate opened.

Bishop watched as she did this. "Why do they make these damned things so easy? Is there really a need to put them there at all?"

"From what I hear, it's often to keep things inside, rather than out. I don't know. Old Nord logic. If you think  _this_ is bad, I'd hate to see how you'd respond to dragon claw keys and their puzzle doors."

He gave her a confused look. "What?"

"Not important right now." She left it at that and headed through the iron gate that'd opened up. Another tunnel, another room with coffins and pissed off undead, though something was special about this one in specific. While they took down a few lesser draugr, something came from a little ways in. A Shout? "Tell me I'm not the only one who heard that."

He shook his head. "Seems like someone wants to have a conversation with you."

She pulled her blade out of her latest enemy and looked in the direction the noise came from. "I've dealt with some of these before. Be careful, they can sometimes disarm you. I'll distract it." With that, she sheathed her weapons and narrowed in on the approaching draugr. It drew a battleaxe and charged at her. She quickly hopped out of the way, turned around, and called upon her Unrelenting Force.

The enemy was thrown face-first into a wall. As it stumbled back, one of Bishop's arrows was planted into its shoulder. The moment it turned to look at the Nord, Wyllin was already preparing to shoot. Before she could, the draugr managed to let out a  _'FUS'_  on Bishop, who staggered backwards. An arrow planted itself into the draugr's throat soon after, cutting off its ability to use its Voice completely. Her companion regained his footing and then charged at the enemy with his dagger. He struck something vital within the undead and put an end to it quickly.

"Despite how dull that butter knife looks, it can still cut pretty damn deep."

"Funny," He said as he cleaned the blade off. "I told you before, sweetness, this beauty cuts deeper than my words. Anyway, I think that's all of them here."

"Yeah, I think there's a door up that ramp." He followed her as she headed up. Once they were past the door, they rounded a corner to find another rune on the ground. Lightning. Bishop stepped back as Wyllin went to activate it. Admittedly, she was a little too close that time, and the resulting burst of sparks had her stumbling back into the Ranger, who just barely managed to catch her.

"Mind being more careful?"

After recovering from the  _literal_ shock, she registered his words and huffed. "Oh be quiet. I'm fine." She got back onto her feet and looked on ahead of them. "There's one more."

"You know what, I think I got this one." He moved in front of her and drew his bow. After he got rid of the rune, they continued into an area with another puzzle. "Oh, fun. Let's see then, the plaques are right above the obelisks as usual..." He walked over to one of the obelisks and turned it. When he did, he was surprised to see that a few others turned around as well. "Wait, what the fuck?"

His confusion had his companion chuckling. "Here, turn it again and I'll check it out." When he did, she noticed how two others moved. One right after the other. "Interesting... So maybe they need to be turned in a specific order..."

"Oh, so things  _can_ be more complex? Color me surprised." He rolled his eyes.

Wyllin just ignored him and got to work. Eventually, she figured out the order they were supposed to go in. The one that turned all three of the others needed to be matched first. Then the next one, and the next... "Done. This should work." She walked towards the lever in the center of the room and pulled it. The gate opened. As it did, footsteps could be heard from behind the two.

"Hold on there!" Tolfdir called out. "I thought it high time I caught up with you. Seems like you had quite the adventure back there."

The elf chuckled. "Nothing we couldn't handle. What did you find back in the circle room?"

"I'll discuss that with you later. For right now, I think we should press on. I feel we're close to the source of this magical energy."

"Right then. Let's go." She turned back to the gate and walked through. After the three narrowly dodged another bolt trap, they made it to an iron door. Even she could feel the presence of magical energy, and it sent a tingling sensation down the entirety of her spine. "Gods above..."

Bishop looked at her. "What?"

"You can't feel that?"

"I don't feel a damn thing, princess."

"He must not be attuned to magical forces in the way you and I are, miss Springlock. I can definitely feel its presence, however. Whatever our Master Wizard picked up on must be just beyond this door. Please be careful. I'm not quite sure what to expect." With that, he moved to lead the group. The door was pushed open, and all three of them stood in awe at the sight before them. "Well, I'm not quite sure what I expected but... It wasn't this."

They stood on a balcony-type area, which allowed them to see into a large, open room. It was mostly empty, save for the usual coffins and urns. However, one thing definitely stood out. There was a large orb that was covered in odd runes floating in the center of the room. It was surrounded by a glowing blue forcefield.

"So this is what Mirabelle had discovered?"

"It must be... I've never seen anything like it before! Absolutely astonishing!"

Something caught Wyllin's attention shortly after that was said. The telltale sounds of a draugr could be heard from below them. She walked to the edge of the overlook to see what made the noises. "Looks like we've got company."

Bishop was immediately by her side with his bow drawn. However, the arrow he fired seem to just bounce off the enemy. "What? That was a direct hit!"

"Keep your damn voice down!" She hissed, though it was too late. The draugr noticed them and immediately drew its weapon. "Hang on, maybe magic will work." She readied her lightning spell within her hand. The moment she got a clean shot on her now moving target, she released it... To no effect. "Alright, something's fucky with this guy."

Upon closer inspection, it appeared as though the creature was covered in an odd aura. Tolfdir had caught onto it. "Maybe it has to do with the orb. Hang on, I'll go check it out. Distract the draugr for as long as you can!" The old mage managed to get past the draugr without being noticed, leaving the other two to deal with it. They did as he asked and distracted the thing while he messed with the orb. Eventually, the forcefield around it completely collapsed. "Alright, try now!"

At that point, Wyllin was the closest. She stared the draugr dead in the eye as she released her Thu'um.  _"YOL TOOR SHUL."_  Flames spewed forth and encased the undead. The sudden, close impact had it dropping to its knees, only to be finished off by an arrow from the Ranger. "Good to see these things still burn like tinder." She then walked up to the now lightly charred corpse and looked it over. "Hang on, there's something here." The elf reached down and picked up an amulet.

"Looks like some old tomb junk to me, ladyship."

"No, it's definitely enchanted. I can feel it. Hey, Tolfdir..." She looked over at the professor. "Tolfdir?"

He snapped out of whatever trance he was in from examining the orb and turned to the one who was calling him. "Yes?"

"The college has people knowledgeable in enchanting, yes?"

"We actually have a professor on it. His name is Sergius Turrianus, though I must admit that he's a little off. Anyway, come here." When she walked over. "This... Orb. It's utterly unique!"

"What even is it?"

"I have no idea! Its aura is powerful, however. Archmage Aren should be informed of this discovery immediately! He needs to see it for himself!" He looked towards Wyllin. "I don't dare leave this unattended. Could you please return to the college and inform Savos Aren of this discovery?"

"Can do. I want to go talk to professor Sergius about this amulet anyway." She then turned towards Bishop to tell him to follow her... Only to see him getting into something. "Hey! What are you doing?"

He was looking over a staff he'd picked up from the table the draugr was sitting at. "Look at this thing..."

"Put that down!"

"Oh, relax. It's not like I'm gonna-" He was cut short when he accidentally sent a few sparks shooting out from the staff when he swung it the wrong way. It caused him to jump back and drop it on the floor. "Shit!"

The elf groaned and walked over. "I leave you unattended for a  _few seconds_  and you nearly electrocute yourself." She snatched the staff up off the floor and looked it over. "Must've belonged to the draugr we fought back there." Her eyes then flickered over to the table, where a note sat. She picked it up and read out the contents:

_"Be bound here, Jyrik, murderer and betrayer._ _  
_ _Condemned by your crimes against realm and lord._ _  
_ _May your name and deeds be forgotten forever._ _  
_ _And the charm which you bear be sealed by our ward."_

"Seems like someone  _really_ didn't like this guy. It rhymes too. Maybe he pissed off a bard?"

She cackled and folded up the note again. "Well, the dead guy must've been this... Jyrik, then. I wonder if he has any connection to the orb..."

"Well, we aren't going to find out by sitting in this dusty tomb all day. Come on, we should get the hell out of here. That damn thing is starting to give me the creeps."

"Alright. Just... Don't get into any more magical artifacts. I don't need you blowing off a finger or something." Her words had him groaning, but she didn't acknowledge that. Instead, she made her way out of the room through a door just beyond where the orb was at. A little ways down and they found themselves in an area with a Word Wall.

"Oh great, one of these..."

She wasn't paying any mind to his words. She immediately walked up to the wall. A specific word on it called out to her. As she focused on the Word of Power, visions of enemies freezing solid flashed before her eyes. Their skin turned to ice. They stood before her, cold and still, like statues. Their eyes almost burned into her soul, and the shock of that eventually brought her back to reality. She nearly collapsed, but was thankfully caught by Bishop.

"Woah there. You alright?"

"Yeah... I'm fine..." She got back to her feet and shook away the fuzziness from her head. "I think that's the final Word I need for a Shout. I'll have to look into it later. Come on, let's go get Karnwyr back and then head off to the college."

They did just that. Onmund must've taken a liking to the wolf, who was laying by his feet as he was leafing through old tomes. The mage looked up when Bishop and Wyllin approached him. "Finally back? Looks like you two have been through quite an adventure."

The Bosmer scratched the back of her neck and chuckled. "Yeah, you could call it that. Tolfdir wants me to take our findings to Archmage Aren."

"The Archmage directly? They must be pretty important then. Hopefully disturbing the resting place of Nordic ancestors was worth it. Well, anyway, good luck."

She smiled and then whistled. Karnwyr immediately bolted upright and ran towards her. She patted him on the head and then motioned for him to follow her. Soon after, they were back on the road. Apparently, they'd spent more time in Saarthal than they thought, as it was late afternoon by the time they got out. They were quick to get back to Winterhold and then up to the college. Savos was their first stop.

"Ah, you've returned from Saarthal. What have you discovered there?"

"We found the source of the magical energy. It's this giant, glowing... Orb thing in the depths of Saarthal. Master Tolfdir wants you to check it out for yourself."

The Dunmer furrowed his brow. "'Giant, glowing orb thing'? I trust that Tolfdir will provide a more specific explanation. Could I ask that you look into Saarthal while Tolfdir and I are busy with this orb? Urag, our lorekeeper, should have something on the city in the Arcaneum."

"I'll see what I can find."

"Thank you. I assure you that you will be well rewarded when this is all over. In the meantime, feel free to make yourself at home in the college." The Archmage offered a polite smile and then stood up from the chair he was sitting at.

"Wait, Archmage, before you go..."

"Yes, miss Springlock?"

"Would you happen to know anything about the Psijic Order?"

He gave her a curious expression. "The Psijic Order? Why do you ask?"

"When we were at Saarthal, one appeared to me. He mentioned how there were dangers ahead of me and how I had the ability to prevent some kind of disaster. You know, cryptic fortune telling stuff like that."

"Well, that's certainly odd. To my knowledge, the Psijics have no connection to Saarthal, but they've been known to work in mysterious ways. As for your question..." He thought on it. "Well, there was one who functioned as an advisor to my predecessor. I never had many opportunities to speak to him because he hardly ever communicated with anyone other than the previous Archmage and Master Wizard. Just before the Isle of Artaeum vanished, he was called back to the Order's sanctuary, and has never made an effort to contact us since."

"So if they have connections to the college, why didn't they contact you? You're the Archmage, after all."

"As I've said, they work in mysterious ways. I don't doubt that they know who you are, even if they live in complete seclusion far away from Tamriel." He looked her over. "They clearly saw you as someone worth reaching out to. I would take that as a compliment."

"Professor Tolfdir said the same thing when I asked him."

"He is a wise man. Regardless, the Arcaneum might have something on them if you wish to look into the Order any further. I suggest you stick to the task at hand for the time being, however. If the Psijics  _have_ reached out to you, it's clearly more serious than we initially believed it to be."

"Right. Thank you, Archmage."

He nodded. "If you will excuse me, I should probably check out this orb you spoke of. Tolfdir is undoubtedly waiting for me." He headed out of the quarters, with Wyllin and Bishop following a little ways behind. They parted ways with the Archmage when he turned to exit the Hall of the Elements.

The two made their way into the Arcaneum, where Urag gro-Shub sat nearby his desk with his nose buried in a book. When he noticed them entering, he closed the book and looked up at them as they approached. "Well, well, if it isn't Skyrim's latest and greatest hero. I hope my texts on the Elder Scrolls proved to be useful."

"Seems like everyone knows who I am now. Yes, your information definitely helped. I'm here on a different matter now, however."

"I know what you're after. Word travels fast in these halls." He knew? That was concerning. "Discovered some big mystery in Saarthal, huh? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but we don't have anything on it anymore."

"You don't have  _anything_ on Saarthal?"

"I said not  _anymore_. We did once, but it was stolen by Orthorn when he ran off to join a group of Summoners a while ago, and I think one of the volumes might have had some relevant information. Nobody cared enough to get the books back though. Archmage Aren's approach to these types of things is to let them sort themselves out. If you want to look into it, go on ahead. They're all hiding out in a place called Fellglow Keep. I can mark it on your map if you have one."

Wyllin quickly took out her map. As she did, she spoke again. "Who is this Orthorn?"

"Some nobody apprentice. He wasn't really good at magic, but the mages he ran after took a liking to him. When they left, so did he. Except the fool decided to steal a bunch of supplies and texts from the college before going, probably as a way to ingratiate himself."

"And these mages left the college because..?"

Urag groaned. "You really like asking questions, huh? Listen, this college is very open to the study of most magical pursuits.  _Most._ However, these Summoners made a habit of looking into the things that the Archmage strictly forbade. When he found out, they were... Persuaded to leave."

"I see..."

"Well, I marked the place down. If that's all you need, then I wish you luck on your fetch quest. Though I doubt a few petty mages are going to pose much of a challenge for the legendary Dragonborn." The orc rolled his eyes. His book was reopened and he returned to reading it.

She folded her map back up. "Looks like we're done here. I suppose we can go find the enchanting master and then get some rest before we head back out?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Said plan was put on hold when they encountered the very person in the entire college that Wyllin wanted to  _avoid_. When he noticed her, he called out. "You there, student, I wish to speak with you."

She frowned. Her first thought was to just blow that Thalmor dog off, but she figured it wouldn't have been the best idea to do so. "What do you wish to speak about?"

"You were in Saarthal with the others, yes? It's come to my attention that you've uncovered something there."

Her arms crossed over her chest as she stared up at Ancano. "We've uncovered a lot of things in Saarthal. That was kind of the  _point_ of the expedition."

His eyes narrowed as he tried to stare her down. She was clearly unfazed. "I don't appreciate the level of sass in that answer, mage. What exactly did you  _personally_  uncover in the ruins?"

"I'm sure Archmage Aren would be more than willing to fill you in on that once he learns more about it. Now, if you would excuse me, I'd like to return to my studies." With that, she walked past him, with Bishop following quickly behind her.

"That kind of response to a Thalmor Justicar is dangerous, you know," He commented once they were out of earshot of the Altmer.

"Like I give a damn. He has no right trying to interrogate me like that." She rolled her eyes. "Let's just get out of here."


	33. Anomalies

Sergius turned out to be a decent enough help with the amulet. He was actually pretty surprised to see Wyllin had come across it. Apparently, there was a story tied to it, which he really only knew small details of. Luckily, the Arcaneum had a couple copies of the book 'Lost Legends', which she could read to learn more about it. She made a mental note to check it out the next time she was in the library, but it was fairly late by the point she'd tracked the professor down, and had opted to retire to the Hall of Attainment for the evening. The staff and amulet from Saarthal were tucked away in her room before she got ready to sleep. They'd managed to smuggle Karnwyr into the hall for the night, and he was curled up in the corner, cozy and snoozing away.

Bishop had taken to sleeping on a bedroll in Wyllin's room. There weren't exactly many other options, and he didn't really mind it anyway. The furs kept him plenty warm. During the night, she still opted to lay by him until she was dozing off and was finally convinced to actually crawl into bed and sleep. The next day came and he woke up to find her bed empty. She'd gotten up just before and was out in the circular area all the rooms in the hall surrounded. After getting dressed, he observed her for a short while as she was practicing the ward Tolfdir had taught her a few days ago.

"So you're actually following through with that guy's lessons? You realize that you don't  _need_ to do that, right?" His voice had her breaking her concentration on the ward.

She looked over at him. "Of course I don't, but I figured it'd be nice to learn a few things here. I'll clearly be sticking around for a good while. If what I'm picking up on involving the Psijic Order's prediction is correct, then I'm apparently heavily tied to this orb somehow."

He groaned and threw his hands into the air. "First it was dragons and now it's some creepy glowing orb! What's next?! Crazy shit with Daedric Princes? Or taking out some clan of ancient vampires? Or maybe fighting another Dragonborn?"

She chuckled at his dramaticized display. "I honestly wouldn't be surprised. For right now though, it's just the glowing orb."

"How do you always manage to get wrapped up in these crazy things?"

"I don't know. I can't even blame my prophecy as Dragonborn now that it's apparently been fulfilled." She simply shrugged. "Anyway, come on. I think instructions are starting soon, and I kind of want to meet the other students before we go on the hunt for those stolen books."

"Why?"

"Why not?" She headed towards the door and into the blustery cold of the college's courtyard. Karnwyr was told to wait outside as usual while they went in. When they entered the Hall of the Elements, only the other students were there. Brelyna appeared to be talking to the three about her studies, but stopped when the group realized the two who entered were approaching them.

"Wyllin!" The Dunmer happily greeted. "Are you here for today's lessons? I believe Faralda's going to be holding the first one."

"So she does more than hold up that wall by the bridge?" Bishop asked, earning an elbow jab from his companion. He frowned and looked over to the slightly peeved elf standing beside him. 

Her arms had crossed themselves over her chest. "Of course she does. She already told us that she's the college's master in Destruction magic. Anyway, yeah, I suppose I can stick around for it. What were you three talking about before I walked in here?"

"Brelyna was telling us about her advancements in Alteration magic, specifically transformation spells," Onmund explained.

"I was actually about to ask if anyone would let themselves be my test subject for the spell I'm working on so I can study the effects it has on another person." The room fell silent, with Onmund and the Khajiit student - who never actually formally introduced himself to the Bosmer - looking warily at each other. "Oh come on! I promise it won't hurt anyone."

"I suppose I could help you out," Wyllin volunteered after a short while, though there was obvious reluctance in her voice. "What is this spell supposed to do though?"

"If my studies are correct, it should temporarily shift the person the spell is casted on into a mirror image of its caster. It'll wear off soon after."

"Alright then. I think I can handle that."

The Dunmer clasped her hands together. "Fantastic!"

"Ladyship, are you  _sure_ this is a good idea?" Bishop asked.

"I'll be fine. If Brelyna got accepted into the College, chances are she knows enough to where she won't do something stupid like turn me inside out." The Bosmer rolled her eyes. "Let's do this then."

"Hold still." Brelyna stepped away from the mana pool in the center of the hall and began to speak the words of the incantation. Blue-green magical energies began to form an orb in her right hand. She took aim and then shot that orb towards Wyllin. Apparently, her aim was a little off, as the spell flew past her shoulder and hit the Nord behind her. Everyone in the room immediately looked towards Bishop as blue-green light swirled around him. When it eventually dissipated, all four of their mouths dropped to the floor.

"The fuck are you all staring at me for?" Bishop asked, clearly in a daze. He then furrowed his brow when he heard himself speak. "Hey, why does my voice sound different? And my armor feels slightly-" He looked at his hand, which then reached up to touch his face. "Oh Gods..." The Nord quickly dashed to the reflective pool of magicka in the room and looked down into it.

"I..." Brelyna's voice was quiet as she saw the shock on his face grow to mild anger. "Well, I guess I was half right?"

The room fell silent yet again, until Wyllin started cracking up. "Wow, Ranger. Never thought you'd make such an attractive woman!"

He turned back towards her.  _"Ladyship!"_

The elf calmed down and walked up to him. "Oh, come on. I'm not wrong. Too bad that armor's hiding everything though." A hand reached up to grab him by one of the straps on his jacket. Then she pulled him down low enough to whisper into his ear. "Maybe we should find a place where I can get a better look." When she pulled away again, she couldn't help but start laughing once again. "Oh my  _Gods!_ You're blushing!"

"I am? What?  _Fuck!"_

The three students just stared in confusion at their bantering. That soon came to an end when someone else approached the group.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you here."

She looked behind her and noticed who called out her name. "Darren! Hi!"

"So you're a member of the college now, sweet rose? I didn't know you had such an aptitude for magic..." He trailed off when he noticed the person she was talking to. "Oh. Hello there. Who might this be?"

"Oh, uh..." She giggled nervously. "Funny story, actually! That's..."

"You look fascinating, but you don't appear to be a member of the College like our dear rose is. Are you simply visiting her?"

Bishop growled in response, but wasn't given a chance to speak.

"Perhaps I could invite the both of you to the Frozen Hearth later? I'm certain you could use a break from this place."

"Listen here, you-"

"Not that it isn't wonderful here, of course! The fires of the hearth there are far more homely, however. So, what do you say?"

Wyllin just stood there in shock. Her gaze slowly turned to the red-faced Ranger. He looked like he was about ready to explode.

Bishop walked over to Darren and grabbed him by the shirt of his robes. "I can assure you that I'm  _not_ interested, mage. Maybe I oughta put you back in your place by breaking that nose of yours again." He raised a fist, clearly willing to make good on his threat.

His words had the realization sink in. Darren looked absolutely  _mortified._  "You're that animal she travels with... But how?"

"It's a long story, little boy. One that I don't have time to share. Now, before you make me do something I probably won't regret despite the fact I should, I suggest you get the fuck on out of here."

Wyllin was quick to get in between the two, forcing Bishop to let go of the Breton's robes. "Alright, there's no need for any of this! Darren, if you would please just... Wait somewhere else while things get sorted out?" He didn't need to be told twice. The mage quickly hurried out of the hall.

As he did, Bishop turned to Brelyna. "Tell me you can reverse this."

"I'm... I'm afraid I don't know the incantation to the spell that undoes the effects well enough to rehearse it, but it should wear off on its own!"

 _"How long?"_  He demanded.

She scratched her head as she squeaked out her reply. "If the spell was done properly, it should only be a matter of minutes, but with this... I'm not too sure?"

Wyllin tugged at the enraged Nord's arm. "Listen, it's Alteration magic, yes? Professor Tolfdir will probably know how to reverse the changes. We can skip the lesson and go find him." She looked towards the students. "I'm sorry I should... Go deal with this. Do you know where the professor might be?"

"Somewhere in the Hall of Countenance, probably," Onmund answered. "It's the building to the left when you exit the Hall of the Elements."

"Thank you. Come on now,  _princess._ "

"Fucking hilarious," Bishop groaned. He followed her out of the hall, and was slightly confused when she stopped just outside. "What?"

She looked back at him with a devious smirk, and then tugged him off to the side of the building. When they were there, she pressed him against the wall. Her smirk turned into a grin as she looked him over.

"Wyllin, the fuck are you playing at?"

"Wha'd'ya mean,  _sweetness?_ Just figured we could use a little privacy."

He grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her away from him. "We don't have time for this right now. We need to find that damned Alteration professor and get this spell reversed."

"Mmm. No. That can wait." The look of agitation on his face had her cackling. She couldn't take him seriously when he was just so... Womanly. "You can't tell me you aren't the  _least_  bit curious. I mean, did the spell change...  _Everything?"_  She glanced downward.

He clearly wasn't as amused as she was. "From what I can feel, yes it  _did,_ and I'd like to get that remedied." It was pretty obvious that she was only taking jabs at him, rather than making any type of legitimate advance. That only made the situation more obnoxious though. "Didn't really think you were into women anyway."

"I'm not, but I can always make an exception for this," She mused as she messed with one of the straps on his jacket. "It's a shame all this armor's covering everything up." She looked up at him with a playful spark in her eyes. For once, she wasn't the one blushing to Oblivion and back.

He bit his lip as he gazed into her eyes. "Gods, woman."

"So, what say you? I think this could be an interesting experience."

One of his hands reached to grab at one of her wrists. She could tell that he was heavily debating on her words. Sadly, he wasn't given the time to form a response.

"What's going on here?" Someone from behind them asked, causing the Bosmer to jump.

She pulled away from the flustered Ranger and turned around to face the confused old mage. "Master Tolfdir! We were actually just looking for you. Um... My friend's in a bit of a situation here."

Bishop sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, which was admittedly quite ample. "Yeah, Wyllin made the mistake of lending a hand to one of the other students, and guess where it got me! Please tell me you can undo whatever that woman did to me."

The professor furrowed his brow. "I suppose this was not the intended effect. If the student who did this could fill me in on what spell she used, I could potentially figure out how to reverse this. I assume she's already in the Hall of the Elements?"

"Yes. Let's get in there, before his fair ladyship has a heart attack."

* * *

 

Luckily, Tolfdir had managed to undo the spell and Bishop was back to his normal self soon after. Brelyna gave him a wide berth for the rest of the time the two spent around her that day, which was probably for the best considering how he glared at her. Wyllin had decided to stay for the lesson Faralda was going to teach. Expanding her knowledge of Destruction magic definitely didn't sound like a bad idea, despite the comments her partner made about her potentially singing her eyebrows off or freezing someone solid. By the end of it, she was managing to get the basics of a fire spell down. After the lesson, the two found themselves sitting at a large table in the Arcaneum, where she was looking into the book that Sergius had mentioned the previous night.

As she was leafing through the pages of 'Lost Legends', Bishop decided to break the silence that'd fallen between the two of them. "So, were you legitimately curious about me back there, or were you just trying to get under my skin?"

Her eyes went from the book to her companion. "Hmm? I don't know. I was just amused by the thought of giving you a taste of your own medicine."

"What?"

"Oh, don't play stupid. You've been spouting out suggestive commentary towards me since we ran into each other back in Riverwood. I just wanted to see how you'd react when the tables were turned on you. I wasn't disappointed."

"You say that as though you don't enjoy how I talk to you."

"Never said I didn't, but maybe you were able to see it from my perspective, for once."

He shook his head and sighed. "You owe me for that little scene, ladyship."

"Mmm... Maybe one of these days I'll pay back that debt then. Preferably when we're not in a library run by an orc who's very keen on making sure nobody mucks up the centuries worth of knowledge collected here." She then smirked. "I wasn't lying when I said you were attractive though. Seems even Darren was taken with you."

That had him belting out a bitter laugh. "Oh please, that boy strikes me as the type who'd hit on anyone with two legs and a pair of tits if they made the mistake of giving him the time of day. He doesn't exactly seem to have any sort of refined taste,  _dear rose."_ Even  _him_ using that pet name made her want to gag. "He'd latch onto any poor woman he could get."

She quirked a brow at him. "Coming from you?"

"Have you  _ever_ seen me go after anyone else since we've met? No, sweetness, I have my sights set on one particular individual. I don't need to coax her into bed with some sorry excuse of a date, either." He reached over and cupped her chin. "And, despite what she might say sometimes, I can tell that I'm just her type as well."

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm. Unlike that pitiful little mage, or that obnoxious bard, or that  _Gods forsaken Paladin,_ I'm actually able to keep up with her." His thumb brushed over her cheek, and he chuckled softly when her head involuntarily leaned towards his touch. "And I'm  _more_ than willing to give her a reminder of that, should she ever need one."

She teethed at her lower lip as she looked him in the eyes. Damnit. He was far better at this than she could ever hope to be. One of her hands reached up to push his away. "Again, maybe later."

"Tch. Suit yourself." He rolled his eyes and moved to lean back in his chair, arms crossing over his chest. "Don't know why you have to sift through boring-ass books in some dusty old library when there are far better uses for your time."

"Because I don't have a one-track mind, unlike a specific Ranger I know." She grinned at his unamused expression. "There will be plenty of opportunities for you to get your hands all over me in the future. There always is. For right now..." She held up the book she was reading, and then turned her attention back to it. Her eyes scanned over each page as she tried to find mentions of the amulet. Eventually, she seemed to have come across something towards the end. "Looks like this amulet is tied to an old Archmage of the college named Gauldur, who was pretty well respected... There's really not a whole lot here on him though, other than the fact someone murdered him and his sons, and some shady stuff with the king."

"Oh good, another dead-ended mystery. This world's had a surplus of those lately, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. It does mention a location though..."

"You've already agreed to do research on  _one_ thing, ladyship. Maybe you should keep that curiosity in check before you get too sidetracked."

She closed the book and placed it by a pile of others on the table. "Yeah, you're right. Crazy glowing doom-orb is more important than some old necklace we found on a dead guy in a crypt. Speaking of the doom-orb though, I think we should probably get to looking into it."

"Yeah, I'm getting kind of sick of this dusty old library." She stood up and made her way towards the exit. Bishop rose to his feet as well and quickly followed behind her. As they walked, he'd apparently taken note of the expression on her face. She looked a bit lost in thought. "Something wrong, princess?"

"Hmm?" She looked over at him. "Oh... Yeah, I've just been thinking about what happened back in Saarthal. The whole thing with the Psijic Order and their prediction. I don't know... It all just feels-"

He cut her off. "It's a complete pile of horse shit."

"What?"

He groaned. "Oh please! Some ancient order of mages just randomly reach out to you in some tomb they probably don't have any connection with? Don't you think that's even a  _little_ bit suspicious? I'm not calling you a liar, you clearly saw  _something_  there, but it just seems... Weird. Just take it with a grain of salt."

She scratched the back of her head as she took his words in. "Yeah, it does seem weird. I don't know. I can't just ignore it though. If what we found in Saarthal is anything to go by, the coming days are going to be... Interesting, to say the least."

"And you're going to be here throughout the entire thing?"

"Well, I'm connected to it now! If it was just some weird rift or powerful magical entity that could've been taken care of easily, then we'd be done and on our way out of this frozen hellhole. This is clearly going to be much more than that." She let out a frustrated sigh. "You know me by now, Bishop. I can't just abandon this."

"Yeah, which is why I'm sticking around. At least with me at your back, you actually stand a fighting chance." He smirked at her.

That comment had her scoffing and rolling her eyes. "I can handle myself, Ranger."

"Mhmm. Keep telling yourself that."

She grunted and looked away from him. Asshole. The sound of someone calling out had her freezing in her tracks, however.

"By the Gods!" It was the voice of that Nord mage, Onmund. He bolted up the steps and looked towards the two. "Something's happening!"

"What's going on?" She gave him a confused look.

"These... Things! Weird magical anomalies! They're attacking Winterhold!"

Both her and Bishop looked towards one another, clearly concerned. The elf turned back to the mage. "What are you waiting for then? Take us to them!" He did just that. The two had to pick up their pace to match his as he bolted down the steps and into the Hall of the Elements. Then he was out of the door and into the courtyard. When they were out there, Bishop whistled to Karnwyr, who quickly bolted towards him. The wolf could tell something was very wrong, especially given the expressions his brother's face. Along the way, a few of the other mages had appeared after being alerted by their colleagues. From the top of the bridge, a few of the older members were already at work trying to fend off the invaders in the city.

Onmund led Wyllin, Bishop, and Karnwyr down as the others gathered up top. Soon enough, they joined the fray. A few of the professors Wyllin hadn't met yet were keeping the anomalies from entering the inn. Faralda had taken to ushering people inside, while using a ward to keep off her own attackers. Tolfdir had called upon an atronach and was busy launching firebolts towards any of the invaders that came close. It seemed like there was an endless wave of them, however.

"Stay at a range and keep Karnwyr close," Wyllin told Bishop, who nodded and pulled back to the end of the bridge, bow in hand. Onmund had joined the other two apprentices he often hung around to aid them, while the Bosmer herself focused her Voice as a few anomalies barreled their way towards her.  _'FUS RO DAH.'_  That sent the group of enemies flying back, knocking the majority to the ground. The Ranger behind her had lodged arrows into a few of them, pinning them in place. Spells were quickly able to finish them off soon after. Wyllin then took out a blade and summoned her ward in her other hand. Given the fact her enemies were comprised almost solely of magical energies, they bounced off of it whenever they tried to fly at her. She was then able to swing at them when they were recoiling from the hit.

As she neared Tolfdir, she called out to him. "Where did these things come from?!"

"I'm not too sure," He responded as he blasted one of the anomalies with fire. "One minute, it was fine, and the next Faralda was calling out to us!"

The elf warded off a zap from one of her enemies and then sliced at it, cutting it in half and turning it to a pile of... Viscous material. "Do you think they could be from..." The orb.

"Maybe, but we should deal with them and try to figure that out later."

"Right..." She looked back to check on Bishop, only to see him trying to fend off an attacking anomaly with his blade. Her ward was dropped, and then she charged up a lightning bolt and sent it at his aggressor, zapping it into goop. Brief eye contact was made before the two went back to what they were doing.

That's when she heard someone call out. She quickly turned to see a woman clutching onto a little girl, backing away from an approaching anomaly. The elf dashed over and quickly got between the woman and the enemy. "Stay behind me." She put her ward back up and slowly made her way to the inn. The mother ushered her frightened child along. As they went, an arrow lodged itself into the attacker and knocked it down. That allowed Wyllin to drop her ward and have the two pick up their pace. The child was picked up as the mother dashed towards the entrance of the inn. Once they were inside, the elf turned her attention to the enemies again.

Slowly but surely, they managed to finally take them out. By that point, several of the mages were on their last leg when it came to magicka reserves. Wyllin herself was exhausted, that was for damn sure. She shrugged her bag off of her shoulders so she could press her back against the wall. Her brow furrowed at the sight before her. Several mages were tending their wounds, and a few others were fishing out magicka potions for a temporary fix to how drained they were from the battle. The Nords of Winterhold were undoubtedly going to be furious and, if the orb from Saarthal was really the culprit,  _she_ was the one who brought this on.

As she thought on that, Bishop walked towards her with Karnwyr padding along behind him. A hand was rested against her shoulder. "You alright?"

She glanced towards him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Only took a few hits back there."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Right, he'd gotten good with reading her emotions. It wasn't hard for him to see past the brave face she always put on.

"I'll tell you about it later. I need to see if the citizens are alright first." She picked up her bag and headed into the Frozen Hearth. At least Winterhold didn't have  _too_ many people to defend. No one was harmed outside of being given a little scare. "It's over." The few faces around her all immediately looked relieved.

After saying that, she was approached by the mother and daughter she'd helped outside. The little girl bolted over and hugged her while the woman gave her a warm smile. "Thank you so much for the quick response, mage. Not many of us are really the fighting type, so this could've ended badly." She then moved closer and took the Bosmer's hand. "And thank you for saving my little girl."

Wyllin smiled weakly in response. "I'm just doing what I do best, ma'am. What caused this to happen though?"

"I'm not too sure. They just appeared out of nowhere."

"Appeared, like in the middle of the city?"

"Yes! It's like they were summoned by someone, but no member of the college would've done that, surely?"

"No, that doesn't seem like something they'd do... I'll talk to the others about this." At least it might've not been solely due to the orb then. Though someone making a target out of the city - and presumably the college as well - was definitely concerning. "I should be going. I just wanted to check in on you."

"You're welcome back at the Frozen Hearth anytime, miss."

"Thank you." She nodded politely before turning around and nearly running into the Ranger behind her. "Damnit, Bishop! You could've at least  _told_ me that you were going to follow me in!"

He chuckled. "Actually, I literally just came in to tell you that your friends are heading back up to the college. A few are staying behind to clean up the mess though, before that weird goo from the anomalies freezes solid."

"Alright." Hopefully one of them was Tolfdir. She bolted out of the inn and, thankfully, he was still there, overseeing the other mages who had stayed behind. "Master Tolfdir!"

He turned to face the person calling out to him. "Ah, Wyllin. I assume everyone in there is okay?"

"A bit shaken up, but otherwise fine. I actually got the story out of one of them." That had the old Nord raising an eyebrow. "Apparently, they were summoned. As in  _someone_ summoned them to the city without any warning."

Tolfdir frowned at her words. "Who in Julianos' name would do that?"

"I don't know, but we better find out."

"Yes, right. Investigation into Saarthal will need to be put on hold. I'll go to Archmage Aren and Mirabelle to inform them of what happened. Please, go back to the college and rest. You've earned it."

She nodded and then gestured for Bishop and Karnwyr to follow her. Though, as she was walking, she couldn't help but notice something - or rather,  _someone_ \- off to the side. The woman stood by the inn, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She was dressed in the same dark attire Wyllin had seen her in before. Was she the one who summoned those anomalies? It was clear that she was  _very_ adept with Conjuration magic... The thought had the elf's blood run cold and she quickly ushered her two companions along, not giving the Nord with her enough time to figure out what had her so antsy.

They made their way up the bridge, where she got the attention of one of the other apprentices to inquire about a bathing house. It was apparently in the basement area that connected the Halls of Attainment and Countenance together. She thanked the one she inquired and headed into her hall. After Karnwyr was safely tucked away in an area he wouldn't be seen, she made her way down to the basement to get a bath ready. Bishop opted to join her, which didn't come as a surprise. The bath was filled and the water magically heated itself. Nifty. Wyllin got her hood and cloak off. Just as she was about to start undoing her robes, she felt arms wrap around her from behind. Of course.

"Why don't I help you loosen those clothes, princess?" Her lover murmured almost  _too_ sweetly into her ear, causing her to shiver. She obliged and turned to face him. He took his times with what he did. The belt came off, and then the top layer. His hands then ran down her sides, finding their way to the brim of her shirt. He slowly pulled it off of her, exposing her chest to him. She was beginning to blush heavily as her gaze met his. A kiss was pressed to her neck before he sunk to his knees. Fingers traced along her abdomen before he gave her a gentle push, causing her to sit on the edge of the bath.

"Fuck, Bishop," Wyllin gasped. She teethed at her lower lip as he pressed kisses against her stomach. Her fingers tangled themselves in his hair, before giving him a light tug. "I came here for a... Different reason, you know." That just had him briefly laughing before he continued. He helped her out of her boots, and then traced his fingers along where her bare skin met the waistband of her pants. She lifted her hips up so he could pull them and her underwear down. They were removed completely soon after, though he remained on his knees. She couldn't resist looking him in his bright amber eyes. He was tempting her, trying to get her to give into what she undoubtedly wanted by that point. Oh how easy it would be to just... Shove his head a bit further down... Have that Gods forsaken honey tongued Nord pleasure her...

No. Control yourself, Springlock.  _Anyone_ could walk in, and that could prove to be extremely awkward, even if they didn't get past the curtains.

She slipped away from him and stood up. As he looked towards her with a questioning expression, she just blushed and looked away from him, turning to get into the bath. "Just get undressed and join me when you're ready."

"Mmm. I'd love to."

The elf settled into the steaming water, letting out a sigh as the warmth engulfed her and soothed her tense muscles. Damn. Winterhold was  _freezing cold,_ even compared to the rest of northern Skyrim. It had a special way of biting into her skin, even through her layered robes or armor. Being able to settle into a warm bath felt amazing. Soon enough, Bishop had undressed and joined her. She spared a glance towards him for the first time since she got in the bath.

While his upper half was still technically dry, sweat from the heat and steam had begun to bead up. A few drops trickled down his toned chest. She licked her drying lips as she watched them. Then her eyes traveled lower. Past his rippling abs and down to where the line of the water was. He was already half erect, which she could tell even through the shifting water. A few thoughts flashed through her mind of how she could just... Reach over. Nails could trail along his thigh, before her slender fingers finally wrap around him. There was no doubt that he'd stiffen up completely from her touch alone...

Her thoughts were interrupted when a hand cupped her chin and tilted her head upwards. He smirked at the clearly flustered woman. "Eyes are up here, sweetness. Not that I  _mind_ you wandering."

She scoffed and pulled her head away, pushing her little fantasies aside. Then she shifted closer to him. An arm wrapped itself around her shoulders as she leaned back against his chest. They sat in silence for a minute or two as she tried to find something to talk about in order to get those intrusive thoughts off of her mind. Finally, she settled on something that crept from the back of it due to what she'd seen earlier. "Bishop, can I ask you something?"

Her tone had him feeling it wasn't exactly a good idea to joke around. "What?"

Well, here goes nothing. "Back when we were in the Reach and Valdras and I were hunting, we ran into someone..."

"I'm guessing the person you shouted at?"

"Mhmm. She was... Weird. Dressed in all dark colors with the majority of her face covered. When she spoke to me right before she got away, she... Mentioned you."

He was clearly confused by that. "What do you mean 'mentioned me'?"

"Well, not by name, but... There isn't too many people who can come to mind when someone is called my 'companion'."

"And why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I don't know. Everything was still so... Tense at that point. I didn't want to risk causing more issues if it turned out to be nothing... But then I saw her again."

"Again? Where?"

"Back in Winterhold, by the inn. I can't help but think if... What if she was the one who summoned those things that attacked?"

He ran his fingers through his hair as he thought on what she told him. "Why would this mystery woman attack Winterhold? What would she get out of it? Fuck, how would she even know that we're  _here_ if we were her targets? It's not like we told many people about this little adventure of ours, and this city's too disconnected for gossip to spread around so quickly."

She shrugged. "I'm just as confused as you are, but it's the only thing that makes sense. I've never seen anyone else as good at Conjuration magic as she is." She let out a dry laugh. "Even what  _I_ can do pales in comparison." She turned her head towards him. "Do you think we should go back down?"

He gave a shake of his head in response. "She's probably long gone by now. Don't worry about her for right now. If she causes issues again, we can deal with her then." The Nord then gave her a cheeky smile. "Why don't you instead focus on what we're doing right now?" Fingers trailed up the inside of her thigh as he said that, but they were stopped halfway when she grabbed his wrist.

"Persistent, aren't you?" She gave him a smirk. "If you're so desperate to get your hands all over me, why don't you wash my back instead?"

"Mmm. I can deal with that." He pulled her between his legs. Admittedly, the feeling of his half-hard member against her back had her blushing again, but she tried to settle herself down as he reached for some soap.


	34. The Eye of Magnus

The days following all of that were challenging. Everyone was on edge, wondering if and when there would be another attack. Still, lessons resumed and things were at least normal on the outside. Wyllin had fallen into a pattern. Lessons were held during the day. Noon was lunch, and the college did stock some pretty damn good food. In the afternoon, Tolfdir or Mirabelle would occasionally pull the elf aside to speak with her about something involving the orb, which was dubbed the 'Eye of Magnus' by the members of the college. Progress on it was slow, however, and thoughts of retrieving the book on Saarthal were abandoned due to how little information it could provide.

In the evening, she'd retire to the Hall of Attainment for food, studying, and eventually sleep. Occasionally, she'd also mingle with the other apprentices, and eventually befriended a few of them. At one point, she had written to her brother to explain why she was still up north to keep him from worrying. There were a few times where Bishop coaxed the elf from her studies and research into the Eye to head out and 'explore the hold'. Though that typically ended with them exploring each other in a bedroll by a campfire during the night. Not that she really minded.

After a few weeks, things took a rather abrupt turn. Wyllin had been studying a book on the school of Illusion, which she was still having quite a few issues with. Drevis Neloren, the somewhat odd Illusion Master, was doing the best he could. Her attention was turned away from the book when Mirabelle entered the Hall of Attainment. She told her that Tolfdir wished to speak with her about the Eye.

"Ah, good, you're here," Tolfdir said as Wyllin and Bishop entered. By that point, Karnwyr had pretty much just been accepted inside the Hall of the Elements. He never really bothered the mages as they practiced, and a few had even taken a liking to his company. "I wanted to speak with you about a few observations I've made on the Eye." The glowing sphere had been placed above the magical font in the hall when it was brought to the college, presumably to keep it as stable as possible.

She tilted her head at his comment. "What did you learn?"

The old mage folded his arms behind his back as he walked around the sphere. "With Mirabelle and Savos exploring other aspects of this peculiar artifact, I've been trying to decipher the runes etched on it with the help of Urag - who knows far more about the languages of Nirn than anyone else in the college - and we've had trouble coming up with a match. He even called upon contacts from around Skyrim to help. No current or dead language matches. At this point, we've assumed that it must be associated with the Aedra, or perhaps even Magnus... Do you know anything about him?"

"Nothing I can recall."

"He is considered one of the most powerful magical entities, so most deem it appropriate that such an artifact is named after him. Should he actually have more of a connection to it like some of us are beginning to suspect, then that would explain the odd runes surrounding the entirety of it. Savos Aren has been doing research into Magnus to see if something can be uncovered, but he so far has-"

Another voice cut the professor off mid-sentence. The Alinorian accent and pretentious tone the new speaker had could make him recognizable to anyone. Thalmor. "I'm afraid I must intrude upon this... Exhilarating conversation."

Tolfdir immediately turned to Ancano. "This is most inappropriate! We are involved with serious research here!"

"Yes, I've no doubt of its...  _gravity_." One could practically  _hear_ the eye roll in his tone of voice, even if he didn't actually do it. "However, the matter at hand cannot wait. It would appear miss Springlock here has been summoned by a member of the Psijic Order." He gestured towards the now-shocked Wyllin. The Psijics again?

That had the old Nord furrowing his brow. "They've made contact again? The order must be particularly interested in this object we've uncovered if they're coming here to speak with one of the apprentices." He then sighed and turned towards the baffled wood elf. "It appears that this  _is_ far more important than our discussion. You should go and speak with the Psijic monk. I will wait here and continue to study the Eye."

She nodded and headed off with Ancano. Bishop remained close behind, not exactly trusting the robed Altmer. Glances were shared between the two. It was clear that both of them knew something was off. When they reached the door to the Archmage's quarters, the Thalmor turned to look towards Wyllin. "Now, you're going to speak with this... Monk, and find out what he's doing here. Then he will be swiftly escorted off college grounds."

"I don't understand. What's he doing here? What does he want from me?"

"I will be the one asking the questions, apprentice," He snapped. "Don't think you can speak to me that way."

"Lady's just asking a simple question," Bishop chimed in, sneering at the high elf.

His gaze immediately turned to the Nord. "You better hold your tongue. Technically, you're not even a student. I could  _easily_ have you barred from the college." That had Bishop growling, but his companion grabbed his forearm and glared at him to shut him up. "Now, we should continue. I'm not quite sure about you, mage, but I don't have all day."

"Alright, fine. I'll speak with him. Let's go."

"Oh, and  _please_ leave this... Mutt out of the Archmage's quarters. It's bad enough he's already tracking dirt into the Hall of the Elements." He was given another sneer by the Ranger, but Wyllin was quick to shut him down. She told Karnwyr to stay, and then reluctantly followed Ancano through the door.

As the three appeared at the top of the steps, the Psijic monk caught sight of them. He held out his arm and time began to freeze like it had back in Saarthal. "Please, I mean you no harm. I just wish to speak with you privately, but I cannot hold this for long."

The elf move closer to him and observed him. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is Quaranir. As you undoubtedly know by now, I'm with the Psijic Order. I simply wish to speak with you about the Eye of Magnus - as your colleagues have taken to calling it - and the chain of events you've set into motion by uncovering it back in the ruins. The longer it remains here, the more dangerous it becomes."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "If this Eye is so dangerous, then why doesn't  _your_ order do something about it? Aren't you some of the best mages in Tamriel or something?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Quaranir frowned. "The Psijic Order does not  _typically_  intervene directly with events. In fact, my presence here will be seen as an affront to some within the Order."

"That's stupid."

"I'm sorry?"

"You go on about this being dangerous, but you refuse to intervene? What's stopping you from just walking down there and taking the Eye?"

"Again, it's not that simple, young mage. Other things must be dealt with first. I've already aroused suspicion in your Thalmor associate by simply being here."

This line of questioning was just going to give her a headache if she continued. Fine. "So, what exactly is this 'danger' you keep speaking of?"

"As I'm sure you know by now, the Eye is immensely powerful. We of the order believe that it will be misused should it remain here for too long. Sadly, due to the current circumstances, this cannot be avoided."

"Because your order doesn't want to directly intervene."

"Correct. Therefore it falls upon you and your college to take care of this until we are able to act."

"What's expected of me, then?"

"I'm afraid that's not ours to know. Due to the nature of the Eye, our vision is clouded and we are unable to predict any form of outcome. I ask that you speak with the Augur of Dunlain, who is associated with your college. His perception may be more coherent than hours."

"The... Augur of Dunlain?"

Quaranir nodded. "He was once a student at the college. Now he is... Something else. Something more. Sadly, it would be impossible for me to explain it to you in terms you would be able to understand." It appeared that even the monks of the Psijic Order held the same stereotyped elitism as the other Altmer. Fantastic. "Perhaps one of your colleagues will be able to give you more information and help you find him. Now, I fear that I've overstepped my boundaries. I must go, but we will continue to watch over you. It's within your power to succeed and prevent disaster." How motivational. When he said that, he cancelled his spell.

"Alright, here she is. Now, what do you want?" Ancano asked.

The monk feigned a pretty convincing confused expression. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't understand."

The Thalmor eyed him skeptically.  _"What?_  You asked to speak to a specific member of the college. We brought you to her, and now you claim you don't know why you're here?"

"There's been a misunderstanding. I apologize. Clearly I should not be here."

"What trickery is this?! You're not going anywhere until I find out what you're up to."

Quaranir raised his hands. "I'm not  _'up to'_  anything. I apologize if I've offended you in some way, adviser."

Ancano continued to look him over, clearly not believing in his story. "Fine. I will escort you out then, and I ask that you do  _not_ return."

"Of course."

As the two Altmer left, Wyllin turned to the Archmage. He looked absolutely dumbfounded. It took him a moment to be able to speak again. "I'm not sure what happened. A Psijic monk came here? After all these years? Then he just leaves... I hope we didn't offend him somehow."

"No, you didn't. He froze time so he could speak to me privately."

"He did? What did he have to say?"

"Vague stuff about danger and how his order wouldn't intervene, despite the fact they felt the Eye's a threat to all of us."

"Really now? Hmm... That sounds rather suspicious."

"I know. I felt the same way... He did mention something else, however. Do you know of someone called the 'Augur of Dunlain'?"

"The Psijic mentioned  _him?"_ Savos frowned. "Well, yes. I know of him, but he isn't exactly a topic appropriate for conversation..."

"The monk claimed he could help me."

"Yes, of course. I suppose I can tell you what I know." The Archmage sighed and closed his eyes. "The Augur of Dunlain was a gifted student of the college. In fact, he was one of the best we've ever housed. Though he was overzealous in his pursuits of magic, and it eventually consumed him."

"It... Killed him?"

"No, well... Not entirely, but he's not exactly alive either. He's somewhere in between. His physical body has long since been destroyed, but his spirit remains in the college, now one with the magical energies that flow through it. He may occasionally speak with others when they seek him out, if he finds they are worthy enough."

"Where  _is_ he, then?"

"Down in the Midden, a place under the college. If you truly wish to seek audience with him, then you will be able to find an entrance to it in the courtyard. Please do be careful, however. The Midden is not upkept very well, and it could be dangerous."

"Alright. Thank you." She excused herself and then headed out of the Archmage's quarters.

Bishop followed behind. "So, more vague prophecy bullshit, hmm? Why is this becoming a recurring trend?"

"I don't know. Anyway, let's get this over with."

When they walked out into the courtyard, Wyllin took note of Ancano and Quaranir. The former had his back turned to her, but was clearly waving his hands around as he spoke. The howling of the winds made it impossible for even the Bosmer's trained ears to pick up on the conversation, but the Psijic didn't seem at all pleased by it. Ultimately, she just decided that he was being told off by the Thalmor and left it at that.

They found the hatch to the Midden somewhere off in a secluded corner of the courtyard. Karnwyr was told to wait by it as the two went inside. Immediately, something felt very off about the place. The atmosphere sent chills down the elf's spine that the cold couldn't ever manage to do. Bishop was extremely uncomfortable by all of it as well. The two stuck close to one another as they went in. As they continued things only got worse. Sure, there were a few enemies, but nothing the two hadn't fended off at first. Their surroundings were what put them off the most.

"These... Wall sculptures," Wyllin murmured as she stopped in front of an odd piece fixed to the wall of a tunnel. It was a human skull with skeletal hands surrounding it, spread out like petals of a flower. A disturbing flower... Made of human remains. "What in Oblivion has gone on down here?"

"Not quite sure, and I'd rather not find out. If that's alright with you, ladyship." He knew of her curiosity, but she seemed less than pleased at the sight before her. There wasn't a chance that she'd want to look into whatever happened in the area. Still, she just stared in shock to the point he had to tug on her arm to get her moving along.

The Midden was cramped and full of dead-ended hallways. It was hard to get  _anywhere_ in there. On top of that, it was extremely dark after a certain point. The Bosmer eventually utilized a light spell that she'd learned from her days at the college. It was fairly novice-level, but perfect for what they needed. A sphere of shining, magical light formed in her hand, and then illuminated the surrounding area... Which was still just as unnerving as it was before. Gods, even the scene she stumbled upon at Alftand didn't give her the creeps like this place did.

Eventually, they must've found the place they were looking for. There was a door off towards the other side of the room they entered, and a small amount of light was shining through it. Wyllin quickly ended the spell in her hand and walked over to the door, only to find that it was locked. Her knocking was only met by silence. She frowned, trying to think if it would be a good idea to reach for her lockpicks or not, but she ultimately didn't have to.

"There is no solace in knowing what is to come, Dragonborn. There is no help for you here. Your perseverance will only lead to disappointment." A haunting voice whispered from the other side, immediately sending a painful surge of energy up the spines of both her and her partner.

Bishop looked like he wanted to get the fuck out of there, but Wyllin stood strong, hiding the shakiness in her voice. "I've come to speak with the Augur of Dunlain. I was told he would be able to help me."

All was silent for a few seconds, but then the ghostly voice spoke again. "I speak only the truth. You will not find comfort in anything I would be able to tell you. Yet you persist?"

"I  _need_ to know."

"Very well, you may enter." With that, the door swung open. The source of the light was a giant, glowing... Entity? It hovered within something similar to the fonts of magicka that littered the college grounds. The voice they heard earlier was coming from it. "Speak. Ask the questions you desire answers for, but remember that you will not find peace in the Knowledge I will grant you."

"You're the... Augur of Dunlain?" She asked.

"I am that which you have been seeking. I have been observing you as you've made progress with the Eye of Magnus, mage. As gifted as you might be - by right of birth and in the fields of magic - I'm afraid your efforts are in vain."

"What do you mean?"

"You will be unable to stop the chain of events set into motion, and must see them through to the end. Though you do seek something that will turn the outcome in your favor, even if you do not know it yet."

"What am I seeking?"

"What all pursuers of the art of magic seek: Knowledge. I must warn you, however, that Knowledge will corrupt your mind. It will taint your soul. It will consume and ultimately  _destroy_ you if you are not careful. You seek meaning, shelter in Knowledge, but you will not find it. Many others have met their end when they've sought the same thing, and the Thalmor who came before you will inevitably follow in their footsteps."

"Thalmor? Ancano?" He spoke with the Augur already? Her brow furrowed at the thought. Just  _what_ did he find out.

"Yes, he also seeks information about the Eye, but what he will find shall be quite different. He chose a much different path than you, Dragonborn, a much darker one. You, on the other hand, have chosen one far better. You've chosen to follow a good path, one untraveled by many who seek Knowledge in the way you do. Your path will cross with his in time, when fate ultimately decides that you must face him."

"I will need to face Ancano?"

"Yes, but it will not be easy, and you are not properly equipped to take him on now that he's been granted the information he desired. I can tell you what you will need in order for you to continue your pursuit of this path, should you wish to know."

"What do I need?"

"To see through Magnus' Eye without being blinded, you require his staff. It is the only artifact built to contain his magic, and is the only thing that can ultimately save your college and prevent the disaster of which you are not yet aware. While you may find that you don't know what to do with the staff when you first wield it, the Knowledge will come to you when the time is right."

"Why can't you just tell me now?"

"It is one thing to hear an explanation, but it is another to understand what the words are trying to convey. I will tell you only what you need to know to set your path to understanding in motion, but the rest is up for you to find out on your own. No explanation even one such as I can provide will be able to change that, and I'm afraid we do not have much time left as it is. Go now and take the information I've given you to your Archmage. The events are beginning to spiral quickly towards an inevitable center, and you must be prepared in time."

"Of course, thank you."

"And one final word of advice before you leave..." She gave the glowing entity a curious look when he said that. "It would be wise for you to not trust everything you see and hear. There are some you have met during your time in Winterhold who are not as they seem, and who seek to fool you. Choosing to believe in their words will not simply cause problems for you and your college, but the entirety of Tamriel. It is best to remain cautious. Question their intentions. Trust your instincts, Dragonborn. You already know who I speak of."

She thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Right. I should go now, but thank you again." After she said that, the Augur vanished, leaving her and Bishop in complete darkness. The light spell she used before was cast again, and illuminated the concerned face of the Nord by her side.

Eventually, the look he wore managed to soften. "So, even the all-seeing glowing light of knowledge is on board with my theories. Good to know. Looks like we have and adventure ahead of us, princess."

"As long as it finally puts an end to all of this. I think I'm done with 'Skyrim's frozen asscrack' for a while."

"Mmm. It'd be good to get a break. Hopefully wherever this  _other_  crazy Magnus artifact is will have more... Pleasant weather, and maybe a few places where I can finally get you alone?"

She scoffed and nudged his arm. "There's no time for your perverted antics now. We have a staff to find, and it's  _not_ the one in your pants."

"But you have to admit, mine's just as magical." That comment had her blushing. Damn, this guy was persistent. Then again, she knew that already. Instead of humoring him any further, she decided to head off. It was time to get out of that dark, creepy ass place and find Savos.

* * *

 

They'd managed to find their way out of the Midden and onto campus grounds again. Karnwyr quickly bolted over and then followed them back into the Hall of the Elements. Luckily, the Archmage was actually in the hall, and they wouldn't need to travel all the way up to his quarters. When he noticed who had walked in, he turned around and greeted them, giving a curious expression at the look on Wyllin's face. She did her best to explain what the Augur had told her, but there was still much to be desired. The only thing she left out was the final warning she'd been given. That was something she felt he shouldn't have to worry about for the time being, and there were  _far_ more pressing issues that the Augur had brought up anyway...

"Ancano has chosen a 'dark path'?" Savos asked. "And the Augur specifically stated that  _you're_  set to confront him in time?"

"Yes, but what if we were to do something now? Bar Ancano from being able to interact with the Eye before it's too late."

The Archmage stroked at his beard as he thought. "It might not be that simple. If he's 'chosen' this path, then that certainly means he's already following it. Attempting to stop him now may only hasten whatever plans he has for the Eye. Instead, I will make sure he's kept under close observation. Mirabelle has already stated that she sees him in the hall late at night, carefully studying the Eye, as if trying to decipher something about it. If the Augur has given him the knowledge he seeks, it's only a matter of time..." He trailed off as he continued to silently think on the potential outcomes. "Well, there is no use pondering the what ifs of the situation. We'll cross that bridge when it comes. In the meantime, you had briefly mentioned that you had been told of a way to stop him?"

Wyllin nodded. "We need to find something called the 'Staff of Magnus' in order to 'see through the Eye without being blinded'." Presumably that meant 'corrupted', as she feared Ancano might eventually become. Well,  _more_ corrupt than the Thalmor typically are. "Do you know anything about this?"

"The Staff of Magnus? Are you sure?" He furrowed his brow. "Yes, that's familiar... I believe Mirabelle briefly mentioned something about it not too long ago. If you wish to speak with her on the matter, she headed out towards the Hall of Countenance just before you arrived."

"Alright. I'll go talk to her and see what I can find out." She excused herself and headed back out of the hall. Admittedly, the conversation helped very little. Hopefully Mirabelle had something more for her than Savos did.

Mirabelle was sitting in the commons area of the Hall of Countenance. When Wyllin and Bishop approached her, she didn't look up from her book. "Is there trouble around the college?"

"No. I have information that could help us with the Eye."

She finally looked up and realized who'd approached her. The book was closed and sat on her lap. "Oh, Wyllin... Is that so?"

The elf nodded. "We're looking for something called the 'Staff of Magnus'. The Archmage said you mentioned it recently."

"The Staff of Magnus? Yes, I had mentioned it recently. I was interrupted from my research a few days ago by a few members of the Synod, who brought it to my attention. I suppose they were under the assumption that we were keeping it in a closet somewhere."

"The Synod? What did  _those_ bastards want?"

"Oh, you know of them, do you?"

Wyllin grunted and rolled her eyes. "I have a friend from my time back in Cyrodiil who's very gifted with magic. She was seeking to join up with them to expand upon her abilities. Ack. She fared better just learning on her own, or through magical scholars  _not_ associated with them or the College of Whispers. They're both far cries from the previous Mage's Guild they apparently replaced."

"Yes. The mages of the Synod appear to have a penchant for hoarding magical objects, no doubt to gain some form of advantage over the College of Whispers, and to curry favor with the Emperor. Lots of politics, very little magic."

"Political affairs seem to be all that the citizens of Cyrodiil care about anymore."

That had Mirabelle chuckling. "You see why the College of Winterhold is a far more preferable option for aspiring mages then. Well, anyway, members of the Synod came and practically interrogated me about this staff, which is said to be the only thing that was capable of containing Magnus' power in his time. Their questioning made me... Uneasy. They made no attempt to hide their intentions to simply consolidate power."

"Unsurprising. Did you at least find out anything about what they were doing in Skyrim?"

The Breton thought back to her encounter for a moment. "Well, they mentioned something about a specific Dwemer ruin. Mzulft, I believe? Apparently they were headed there, but were secretive about why. If you intend on finding out about the staff, I think that the ruins will be your best bet if the Synod's researchers are still around." She then frowned. "But be careful with them. They might be about as gifted in magic as skeevers, but they can still cause trouble for you. Try to avoid letting them know why you're looking into the staff."

"Mzulft it is... You wouldn't happen to know how to get there..?"

"No, sorry. All I know is that it's within Eastmarch. Perhaps the locals there could be more helpful."

"Alright. Thank you."

"Always a pleasure, Dragonborn." The book was opened back up to where she left off. As she continued her reading, Wyllin and Bishop exited the hall.

"So we're heading out for Dwemer ruins that are undoubtedly infested by a bunch of stuffy Cyrodilic politicians?" He asked as they headed through the courtyard.

"Seems like it. I want to get some sleep first though. Looks like the weather's going to be getting bad again as well and I'd rather not be caught out in a blizzard."

"To be honest, the weather  _always_ looks like it's going to get bad here," The Ranger mumbled as he looked up towards the clouded sky, squinting a little in some attempt to keep the snow from getting into his eyes. He couldn't remember a single day in the weeks they spent in the hold where it wasn't at least overcast, even when it  _wasn't_ snowing.

She looked up as well. "You have a point. Well, regardless, it's still getting late. Let's just get inside. I still have that book to finish reading before we head out again."

He smirked and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Or maybe you could keep that pretty face out of your books for the night and we can find someplace more private for the evening?"

"As insatiable as you always are, I see," She commented. "Will there ever be an end to that sex drive of yours, prince?"

"Not while I have you around, sweetness. I'll take any opportunity to get you out of those Gods forsaken mage robes as well." He then tugged lightly at the collar of her robes, causing her to swat his hand away and groan at him.

Despite that response, she did give him a playful smile. "We'll have to see about that. For right now, I just want to get indoors before it starts snowing harder than it already is." She picked up her pace towards the Hall of Attainment, and Bishop followed quickly behind her.


	35. Mzulft

They headed out the next day. Wyllin had decided to swap out her robes for her armor before leaving. If they were going to be delving into dwarven ruins, then she wanted to actually be protected. The Oakflesh spell she had been taught wasn't going to cover it either. They spent a couple of days on the road to Eastmarch. It was decided that they'd stop in Windhelm to see if anyone knew anything about the ruins. Their plans were brought to a halt when a guard stopped them just outside of the city, however.

"Hold there, Dragonborn!" The guard called out, stopping her in her tracks. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't let you into the city. The Jarl has requested that you be barred from entering."

She gave the guard a stunned look.  _"Excuse me?"_

"I'm just following orders. You're no longer allowed within Windhelm. You should turn around and run along."

The somewhat confused elf remained silent for a moment, taking in what he'd said. Then she started to cackle. "Wow! That bastard can't handle anyone opposing him! Yah tell a guy off once and he bans you from his city! That's  _beyond_ petty." From off to the side, Bishop was shaking his head.

"I'd advise against speaking about Jarl Ulfric that way. Now, turn around and go back the way you came, before you're escorted to the palace dungeons."

"Alright, alright. Fine." She raised her hands in mock defeat and then spun around on her heel, heading back across the bridge.

From behind her, the guards were talking. "Can you believe the nerve of that damned knife-ear? Gets some fancy title and suddenly thinks she owns all the entire province. Should be thrown out of Skyrim and sent back to her forests down south, if you ask me." Bishop shot a dirty look their way, but was tugged along by an already grouchy Dragonborn.

"You're really going to let them treat you that way and talk about you like that?" He asked once they were out of earshot. "Doesn't seem like you to simply ignore that kind of blatant racism."

"I couldn't give two shits. If Ulfric wants to be a petty asshole, then he can rot in that collapsing city of his. We can probably ask in Kynesgrove instead. They're close enough to catch any passing rumors about Mzulft from travelers."

That's exactly where they went. Luckily, they weren't as petty and still allowed Wyllin within the town, despite the fact word about her telling the Jarl off probably found its way to them. Then again, they probably felt they owed the Bosmer an eternal debt of gratitude for taking care of the dragon that would've undoubtedly burned their little village down, like one had done to Helgen when the Dragon Crisis first started. She stepped inside the tavern after getting Karnwyr to wait outside, and was greeted by the sounds of lute music and idle chatter. From off to the side, the innkeeper had noticed the fact the two had entered and spouted her typical greeting. It was only when she looked up and realized who exactly had walked in did she give a warm smile.

"Ah, Dragonborn. It's been a while."

She nodded. "Good to see the town seems to have settled down since the dragon that was resurrected nearby. Hopefully no others have been spotted?"

"Nope. All clear. Thank you again, by the way. So, what brings you here?"

Wyllin took a seat at the bar and rested her arms on the top of it. "I'm actually wondering if anyone here knows about a Dwemer ruin called Mzulft?"

"Mzulf, hmm?" The innkeeper thought back. "Yes, a few days ago, we had some Imperials in blue robes passing by. They were looking for the very same ruins. Seemed a might bit insistent on finding the place, but wouldn't say why."

"The Synod?"

"That's who they were? Explains a lot, actually."

"Yeah, they were hassling the mages at the College of Winterhold as well."

"Were they? Well, if you're looking for the ruins, I'll point you in the same direction I pointed them. You got a map?" She nodded and handed it to the innkeeper, who then proceeded to mark the general location of the ruins on it. "There you go. Seems to be getting late, however. If you want a few stiff drinks and a place to stay for the night, you're welcome here."

"Sounds like a good idea." Wyllin looked towards Bishop, who simply shrugged and told her it was her choice. "We could use a little time off the road."

The innkeeper smiled and took their orders. After a meal and a few drinks, the two retired to a room for the evening. The Ranger took to his usual antics, trying to see how far he could push his partner in bed. She was more than happy to humor him for a short while, but only allowed him to get as far as he usually could get. Soon after, she was curled up against him and sleeping soundly in his arms.

* * *

 

The next day came and the two were out on the road again late in the morning. The ruins were right around the area that'd been marked. From the outside, it looked pretty untouched. That changed when they entered, however. Just behind the first set of doors was a Synod researcher. He was clutching onto his side, clearly bleeding out. When he noticed the two, he caught their attention by muttering something.

Wyllin quickly bolted towards him and got to her knees. "What happened here?"

He managed to choke out a few words in between coughs. "Crystal... Gone... Find... Paratus... In oculory." An oculory? Great. She pushed that aside and began to ready her healing spell, but the weak Imperial grabbed her hand, which caused her to cancel it. "Too... Late for me... Go... Find Paratus..." He didn't last much longer after that.

The elf noticed a journal and key by the body. She took both before finally getting to her feet. The journal was flipped open and skimmed through. "Seems like the crystal this.... Gavros mentioned is important to the ruins somehow. The Synod entrusted him with it, but, well..." She eyed the corpse once more before closing the journal and placing it back down. Then she examined the key.

As she did, Bishop walked towards the second set of doors and tried to push them open, without much luck. "Locked. Key must be for the set here. I'm guessing he did this to keep whatever attacked him on the other side."

"Fantastic. Get prepared for a fight." After saying that, she walked over and used the key on the door. It was unlocked, and then her bow was drawn. She turned back towards her partner for a moment to see if he was ready. His own bow was out, and Karnwyr was crouched into a pouncing stance beside him. She then looked back towards the door, lifted a foot, and kicked it open. Whatever had taken down Gavros must've retreated further into the ruins by that point, given the fact they were greeted by an empty room. Slowly, they made their way through the door.

Bishop and Karnwyr were eventually stopped when Wyllin held out a hand. "What's up?" She didn't respond with words, but rather pointed to the ground ahead of them. The body of another researcher laid there, covered in blood and puncture wounds. Then she pointed out the pressure plate just in front of them. "Good eyes."

"Someone's gotta keep this group alive. Step back." When they did, she searched around and came across a chunk of the wall that'd crumbled away. It was picked up and lobbed at the plate. The moment it made contact, spikes jutted out from the roof. They struck pretty much right on top of the dead researcher.

"Glad you caught that," The Ranger mumbled. "We can get around it if we keep off to the side."

"Sounds like a plan." They did just that, and then kept moving. The next couple of areas were sprinkled with animaculi. Mostly dwarven spiders, which were shot down easily enough. As they continued on, the ruins gave way to a cave only lit up by glowing blue mushrooms. Given past experience, Wyllin expected the area to be inhabited by Falmer. That, however, wasn't the case. What they  _did_ find a little ways in was far more concerning, however. "Gods above... What the  _fuck_ is that?" She whispered as she looked the disgusting beast over. It had similar traits to the normal chaurus that often skittered around with the Falmer. However, this one had antennas was hovering on bug-like wings. Two large, mantis-like arms protruded out from it as well.

Her companion examined the creature before them. "Chaurus hunter. I've taken a few down before. They're the 'adult' form of regular chaurus. Things are fucking nasty."

"So, the chaurus are basically a gross, cave-dwelling bastardization of butterflies?" Her brow furrowed as she continued to examine the strange creature. "As if these things weren't  _already_ abominations." She readied an arrow and took aim at the flying insect, which simply hovered in place. It appeared to be distracted by something that neither of them could see from where they stood.

He chuckled softly. "Yeah. Be careful with their venom though. It's far worse than what the normal ones spit out. Shit can eat clean through your armor if it hits you. Believe me, I've seen it before." Luckily,  _he_ wasn't the victim of it.

"Then I'll be sure to use you as a shield." That had him scoffing, which had her smirking in return. Once her shot was lined up to where she wanted, she sent the arrow flying right into one of the insect's wings. It let out a disturbing screech as it plummeted to the ground. Another arrow lodged itself through its chitin, which caused it to bleed heavily. By that point, it'd located its attacker, and stared the elf down. Just as it was about to spew its venom at her, one of Bishop's arrows made contact with its skull. After that, it was down permanently. The two carefully approached the dead chaurus, with Karnwyr tentatively padding behind them. Just as they were about to move around it and continue on, someone called out.

"You there!" They turned to find a roughed up Imperial, hidden away behind some wooden scaffolding that looked as though it'd seen better days. He stared back at them, wide-eyed. "You... You saved my life! A second longer and that disgusting creature would've undoubtedly found me."

Wyllin quickly bolted over to the injured man. "Yeah, and that seems to be the only one around. Are you alright?"

"Well, I'm lucky to be alive..." He then finally got a good look at the elf and frowned. "You're not with the Synod. What are you doing here? Where are my colleagues?"

She put up her hands. "Easy now. That's what we're trying to find out. One of them was by the entrance, nearly dead. Spouted something about a crystal, some guy named Paratus, and then croaked."

"That must've been Gavros. He was supposed to be bringing back something to aid us with our research here... I'm guessing that never made it. Well, regardless, none of this is your concern. You have no business here."

"Oh don't give me that shit!" She hissed. A scowl formed on her face as she looked over the battered up researcher before her. "You're in no position to try and tell us to leave. From everything I've seen so far, your little expedition is on its last leg, and you would've been chaurus food if it weren't for us."

"Your intrusion certainly proved beneficial to me, yes, but you still have no reaso-"

She grabbed the Imperial by the front of his robes and pulled him to eye level. "Last I checked, you can't lay claim to ruins in foreign territory, despite your affiliation with the Synod. You have no right trying to police us. We came here for a reason, and we intend to stay. Now, why don't you go tend to your wounds while your generous  _saviors_ get back to what we were doing?" They stared at each other for a few moments. It was clear that he was becoming very uncomfortable. Eventually, he relented, and gave her a small nod. She released him, and then smirked when he lost his balance and fell over. After that, she turned around and made her way back over to Bishop and Karnwyr.

"Well then, ladyship. You terrified the hell out of that poor guy." The Nord commented as they continued through the cave. "I'd say I'm impressed, but he looked like he was already about to piss himself to begin with. The Synod and its mages really are just a bunch of jokes, huh?"

"From everything I've heard back in Cyrodiil? Yeah, pretty much. They're hardly fit to call themselves mages, and I'm surprised any of them have survived a place like this for as long as they have."

They eventually found their way back into the ruins. Animaculi continued to come out of seemingly nowhere to attack them. They could only wonder as to how the Synod managed to get around all of them. After a little while, they entered into an area of the ruins with two paths. One led to a set of doors, while the other led down a few ramps. Towards the bottom of it, two Synod researchers stood over a stone table with a deactivated dwarven spider and a makeshift alchemy lab. The moment Wyllin noticed them, she quickly grabbed Bishop and pulled him into a shadowy area to avoid detection. Karnwyr followed suit after she beckoned for him to come. After that, she peered out towards the two below them.

"I sure hope Paratus knows what he's doing up there," One of the researchers said as he worked on whatever he was making with the lab. "Whatever's going on seems to have disturbed the inhabitants of this place. Worse yet, the Falmer have been coming out of the woodworks. Constantly needing to hide from them is getting ridiculous."

The other one was leaned over the table, apparently looking over the deactivated machine. "This all feels like a waste of time, if you ask me. Our higher ups are probably sitting cozy at headquarters laughing at us!"

"I can only imagine what they said to Gavros when he was sent back there with that damaged crystal... Gods, shouldn't he be back by now?"

"I'm pretty sure he should have been..." There was a brief pause. "Hopefully the animaculi or Falmer haven't gotten to him before he was able to get back to us."

His friend let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, Paratus would be  _livid._ It's bad enough that Gavros was trying to take credit for this operation, despite the fact it wasn't his idea to begin with, and he wasn't the one who did all the research into this damned place."

From the shadows, Bishop and Wyllin looked at each other, frowns adorning both of their faces. As the researchers continued their idle chatting, the two decided it was better to try the doors first, before trying to sneak around them. They headed off and, luckily, that seemed to be the right way to go. After getting around a few traps and facing off against a sphere that appeared from practically nowhere, they came across another set of doors with something... Concerning lying just before them.

"Falmer," She mumbled. "And it was taken out recently. I get the feeling we're going to be running into more of them just ahead."

"Fantastic." Her partner drew his bow and looked towards his wolf, who then got into a readied stance. "After you then, ladyship. Err... What are you doing?"

Wyllin had sat her bag onto the ground. "Sample collecting." She then retrieved the extractor that Septimus had given her.

"Really? Do you  _have_ to do that?"

"Well, it seems fresh enough for this. If you're squeamish, then look away." The needle of the extractor was stuck into the arm of the Falmer. Blood was slowly extracted from the corpse. After collecting what she needed, she carefully cleaned the needle off and placed the extractor back into her bag.

"I'll never get over how casual you are about these types of things."

She gave him a heavy sigh. "I used to literally  _eat_ people before the heavy influence of the Green Pact in my village began to wane. Collecting blood from a corpse is nothing compared to some of the other shit I've done back when I still followed ancient Bosmeri traditions."

"I... Uh..." He frowned. "You know what? I think we should move away from that topic."

"Sounds like a good idea. Shall we continue through the ruins then?"

He nodded and gestured towards the door. "As I said before, after you."

An arrow was notched in the elf's bow. Then she nudged one of the doors open with her shoulder and proceeded through it. A living Falmer had greeted them not long after. It summoned a ghostly purple blade in its right hand. Upon hearing the noise of that spell, several other Falmer came out from the surrounding shadows. Both Wyllin and Bishop took aim. The moment they fired arrows into one of the enemies, Karnwyr charged in as well. His teeth clamped themselves around one of the legs of a Falmer and dragged it off into places unknown.

The Nord fired at a mage as it was getting ready to cast a spell. Meanwhile, his companion had honed in on the one with the summoned blade. She managed to fire off one shot, which staggered it for long enough for her to replace her bow with her daggers before it could charge over. The Falmer struck at her a few times, each attack getting deflected. She took a swing at it the moment she could, running a blade along an exposed bit of flesh between the chitinous armor it was wearing. That had it stumbling back and letting out a screech, which only gave her another opportunity to strike. This time, the blade was firmly planted in its neck, severing a major vein and causing it to bleed out.

Bishop had taken to staying back and firing at any Falmer that got too close. Then he'd roll out of the way and keep his footsteps light to confuse them. Given the fact they were blind, this was fairly easy. With Wyllin able to focus on other targets after taking out what was apparently the group's toughest member, they were able to wipe the rest of them out completely without too much of a problem. At one point, Karnwyr reappeared and had pounced on the last remaining Falmer. After ripping its throat out, he looked towards the two. Then he sat down and started happily wagging his tail, tongue flopped out over the side of his mouth.

The elf giggled and walked over to Karnwyr and patted him on the head. Then she looked down at her armor. "Ugh. Falmer blood. Damn smell is rancid. I'm going to need to thoroughly wash this off when we get out of here."

"At least I'll be able to see you without it on, then." The Ranger smirked as Wyllin rolled her eyes at him.

She turned around and placed her hands on her hips. "We're waist deep in Dwemer ruins, fighting off animaculi and Falmer, and searching for some crazy staff. Yet all you can think about is that?"

"You're the one who brought it up, princess."

That had her groaning and pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger. "You know what... Just... Let's keep going. The sooner we get out of this place and back to the college, the better." She then continued further into the ruins. Bishop chuckled and followed behind her with Karnwyr walking along at his side. They faced off against a few more Falmer, albeit in smaller groups than the first one. Soon after, they entered into an odd room with several cells in it. Wyllin peered into one of them, only to see a pile of broken Dwemer spheres. "Hmm... At least the Falmer seemed to have cleared out the majority of the automatons around here."

"Yeah, we might not have to worry about you pulling a similar stunt like the one you did last time." That had the Bosmer glaring at him, but she wasn't able to form a response before their attention was directed elsewhere.

A hushed voice called out to them. "Psst! You there!" Both of them immediately turned to the person speaking. It was another Synod member. He was pretty busted up, and his robes were tattered. "Over here! Please!" Once Wyllin approached, he let out a huge sigh of relief. "Finally. Someone other than these weird blind creatures roaming around. They took me prisoner Gods only know how long ago and I haven't seen another member of my group pass by. I was starting to think I was going to die here!"

"Yeah, something your group's leader did seems to have awoken the denizens of these ruins. The machines have sprung to life as well. Give me a minute and I'll get you out of there." She dropped her pack on the floor and immediately began to search for her lockpicking kit.

"You're not with us. I'd know your face if you were. Where did you come from?"

"We're actually looking for the Synod. We think you know something that could benefit us." She found her kit as she said that, and then got to work on the lock.

"Know something? Surely there must be more details than that."

"I... Don't feel comfortable giving that answer to anyone other than Paratus."

"Okay then..." He frowned, but Wyllin was too focused on the lock to notice. He then fell silent as she worked at it, and eventually got it off. The door swung open and the researcher stepped out. "Gods bless you, adventurer. I was afraid I'd become the next meal of those disgusting beasts."

The kit was placed back in, and then she produced a healing potion. "I don't have a whole lot of time to mend your wounds, and I need to save up my magicka reserves for whatever else might come after us. This should help though." She handed the potion off to him. "We've already cleared out the path leading towards the exit, and I've come across a few of your group's members already. I think it's best you leave this place."

"Alright. Thank you."

"Don't mention it." She watched as he exited the area, and then her attention was turned towards Bishop when he spoke again.

"At least  _one_ of these assholes is actually grateful for your help."

"About damned time," She mumbled in response, before shaking her head. "Right. Let's keep going then." Moving further on brought them into yet another cave-like area barely illuminated by glowing mushrooms. It was infested with Falmer and chaurus, the latter of which were in their typical form, thankfully. They ran into a few dead researchers as they made their way through, which only added to the unnerving vibe. Wyllin could deal with a lot, but Falmer definitely left her a bit more than unsettled, especially since that scene she came across in Alftand. She couldn't help thinking back to it as they headed further into the cave.

At one point, Bishop took notice of her discomfort. "You alright over there?" He asked, giving her a concerned expression.

She looked over. "Oh... Yeah. I'm fine. I'm just thinking back to Alftand. These creatures are disgusting. Can you believe they once used to be a civilized race of mer?"

"They did? I mean, 'mer' is in their name, but..."

"Yeah, I read about it one night in the Arcaneum when I couldn't sleep. I don't know a whole lot about it, but they used to be known as 'snow elves' and inhabited Skyrim before man. A few stunts they pulled pissed off the Atmoran settlers, who then went after them. Sarthaal's heavily connected to all of that."

"So, how did they become these... Things, then?"

"The details about that are really obscured at best. It has to do with the Dwemer though, which is why they're always in these ruins. They were enslaved by the dwarves when they sought protection from the Atmorans. At that point, the information from the sources vary. Some say they willingly blinded themselves and served the Dwemer, others say they were forced into it. Any snow elves who opposed the dwarves' deal were slaughtered by the Atmorans above ground." The Bosmer sighed and looked over one of the dead Falmer. "It's sad to see a once-proud civilization of elves fall from grace in the way they did. What I wouldn't give to meet one that hasn't become... Like this."

The Nord chuckled softly. "You seem to be fairly interested in these things, despite your distaste for them."

"They're direct descendants of Auri-El, just like the Bosmer are. Of course I'd be interested." She shook her head and turned away from the body she was examining. "Anyway, no point in lingering on this. All the uncorrupted Falmer are probably dead by now, and we still have this... Paratus person to find."

"Right. Lead the way." He followed her as she continued on. After a little while of walking through the cave, they were back in the ruins once more. The Falmer had clearly won the fight against the animaculi that'd formerly patrolled the area. Every machine they encountered was already taken down by the corrupted elves.

Upon entering a wide open area, Wyllin had noticed one of the Falmer inhabitants holding onto something. After inspecting it, she seemed to realize what it was. "That must be the crystal the guy back at the entrance mentioned."

"Looks like it. You ready to do this."

"There's so many of them... Let me get my summons ready." She held up her hand and casted her spell, calling upon her ghostly wolf companions. They were sent in before the other three. Karnwyr soon followed as Wyllin and Bishop readied their bows. Slowly but surely, every Falmer was taken down by their combined efforts. The moment the ordeal was done, the Bosmer dismissed her summons and dashed over to the one that'd been holding onto the crystal. She picked the odd object up and looked it over. "Yes, this looks to be it. Weird... I've never seen anything like this." She was in tune with magical energies enough to almost  _feel_ the crystal radiating it, though it wasn't nearly as strong as the Eye of Magnus back at the college. The thing was clearly enchanted though. "Paratus would probably be happy to see this. Maybe we could use it as a bargaining chip to know what's going on, and possibly even find out what information they have on the staff we're after?"

"I like the way you think." Bishop smirked at her, which had her giving him one in return.

"Mhmm... I can use these types of things to my advantage when I need to, especially when it comes to people like the ones in the Synod." She then looked around, eyes finally settling on the set of doors that inevitably led further into the ruins. "Come on. This is probably the way we need to go."

"After you then, my resourceful little princess." He followed her over to the doors. After getting them unlocked and traveling a ways down, they found themselves standing in an area that someone was clearly inhabiting. While they were looking around, they were approached by the one who'd set everything up.

"You there... Who are you?" Both sets of eyes were turned to the Imperial, who was wearing the typical blue robes of a Synod member. "Why are you here? You're not with my research team."

'No, we're from the college."

That only had the Synod frowning at them. "The college, eh? Savos wouldn't so much as grant us an audience with him while we were there. In fact, they wouldn't even let us inside your main hall. We just kept getting directed to that master wizard of his. Now two of his students show up here?"

"Well, technically one and her accompanying meat shield..." That correction had the Ranger grunting from behind her. "Anyway, are you Paratus? We've been looking for you."

"How do you know..? You know what, I don't care to find out. Nothing matters. Gavros' return is long overdue and I fear the worst. Without that crystal, we're lost. Congratulation, mage from Winterhold. You've indeed found me, but you've wasted your time."

"Actually, I found that crystal of yours. Gavros told us about it before he died back at the entrance." She held up the object in her hands. "This is it, right?"

"You've found it then? Hah! It appears our efforts weren't in vain then." When he went to reach for it, she pulled it away.

"Not so fast."

"Excuse me? That crystal rightfully belongs to the Synod!"

"Come any closer, and I'll gladly have the wolf at my side make you regret it." She gestured her head to Karnwyr, who'd gone unnoticed by Paratus until then. He did step back when he finally saw the animal. "We're here looking for information about the Staff of Magnus. You tell us what you know, and you'll get your precious crystal back."

"And just what makes you think you can order me around like that, mage?"

"Speak to me like that again and the wolf will be the last of your concerns." She sneered at him, willfully allowing her eyes to flash bright yellow in color, which definitely caught the researcher off guard.

He composed himself enough to speak again after a moment or two. "Very well then. That crystal is supposed to help us locate items of magical power. Your staff could very well be one of them. If you want to learn about it so bad, then this research may just help you find it out. Now, hand it over."

"Why don't I just accompany you until we know what we need to know?"

"You're relentless, aren't you? Fine. Come along." He gestured for her to follow him, and she did, with Bishop and Karnwyr trailing behind. Along the way, he spouted things involving Gavros and what he knew of Mzulft. Truthfully, the normally attentive elf was only half-listening. Eventually, they reached the top of the oculory. "Impressive, isn't it? This place took a lot of time and resources to get running again. Let's hope everything was worth it. Place that crystal in the central apparatus, and then we can start the process of focusing it."

Wyllin was just about to do what she said, but his final comment had her pausing. She frowned at him.  _"We?"_

"You want to know about this staff so badly, don't you? You can help me figure this thing out then. Unless, of course, that information isn't as important as you make it out to be..?"

"Ugh... Fine." She rolled her eyes and headed to the center of the oculory. After affixing the crystal in the way he wanted it, lights began to shine across the room.

"Yes, there we are. Now it just needs to be attuned. Certainly you know basic ice and fire spells, if that college of yours is good for anything."

Did he want her to try them out on him? "I do. Just tell me what you want done."

"Use them on the crystal. Once everything is aligned just right... Well, you'll know when that happens."

"Alright then." She cracked her knuckles and examined everything before her. Several lenses protruded from the apparatus, and several reflective surfaces were affixed to the ceiling above. It didn't take a genius to figure out what to do. Luckily, she  _did_ learn basic spells from training Faralda did with the apprentices. Her knowledge in Destruction was sorely lacking before then. It took a little while, but she eventually managed to focus the crystal, which had all of the reflective surfaces all lighting up. They then shifted around until they pointed at the wall. It created a map of all of Skyrim, with several areas on the map beginning to glow.

"Years of work have paid off... But what's this?" He looked over the results carefully. "No... These results are not at all what they should be. This projector should be lit up like the night sky, but something is causing a great deal of magical interference. Something from your college, it looks like." He gave the elf a harsh glare. "What is the meaning of this? What have you done?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't do a damn thing."

"No, you clearly must've! What is that college of yours hiding?!"

"We're not hiding anything! Just tell me what I want to know about the staff and I'll be out of your hair."

He groaned. "Very well then..." He turned back to the projector. "I cannot explain the details of this experiment. That would be giving away too many secrets the Synod have learned over the years, and I doubt you could comprehend the details." This guy really had a thing for insulting her intelligence. She chose to bite her tongue on the matter, at least until she learned what she needed to know. "The most important thing is that this was designed to project all of Tamriel and reveal to use great sources of magical energy. Yet the only ones to be revealed to us are your college and... Well, this other location could only be Labyrinthian."

"Labyrinthian? That must be where the staff is then."

"Yes..." He turned back to the elf. "Well now, mage, I've beaten your little game. Even if all you've said here is lies, I know that your college is hoarding something powerful in Winterhold - something the Synod Council will be very interested in finding out about. So, fine then. Trudge off to Labyrinthian in search of this staff you want so desperately, which may not even be  _in_ that place. In the meantime, I will return to Cyrodiil and give a full report to the Council. No details spared."

"I think you've been in these ruins too long. You've gone crazy."

"Have I? Have I?! I've discovered more in my time here than I ever hoped to! Your trickery won't fool me!"

"Yep, you're definitely crazy." Wyllin sighed and shook her head. "Well, I've learned what I needed to know. We'll leave you to... Whatever it is you wanted to do." She then moved to walk past him, only to be blocked. "Excuse me? I just said we were  _leaving._ You know, that thing you've wanted us to do since we've met?"

"Actually, I don't think that would be a good idea. You know too much, and whatever this artifact your hiding could clearly be a threat to Tamriel in the wrong hands. No, I don't think you'll be leaving here at all."

That had her sneering. "You really think you could handle  _all_ of us at once? You Synods are pathetic, even compared to apprentice mages at the college. Get out of my way."

"Don't underestimate my abilities, worm!" He then held out his hand. A swirling purple and black orb began to form. Before Bishop or Karnwyr could respond, Wyllin immediately charged at him. She tackled him and pinned him against the floor, which caused him to cancel his spell.

Before he could try again, she drew a dagger and held it to his throat. "You  _will_ be letting us leave here. You wouldn't have time to get word back to the Synod before something potentially disastrous happens. If you so much as think of trying to cast a spell, you're going to lose a hand." She then grinned. "Or maybe both. We'll see how useful you are after that, hmm?"

He stared up at her. Disgust and anger turned to slight fear. His expression faltered. "Fine then. Go on, pitiful mage. Just know that the Synod  _will_ be watching your college from now on. They clearly do not have the capacity to understand how to control this powerful object they're clearly hoarding within their walls."

At that point, she was sick and tired of his insults. He'd done nothing  _but_ that since they'd met. Maybe it was just better if she dealt with him. "Actually, you know what? I think  _you_ know too much to be leaving here." A sadistic grin etched itself across the Bosmer's face. He didn't have a chance to respond before the dagger in her hand was driven into his heart. She even decided to twist it slightly, just to make doubly sure, and didn't get off of him until she saw the life drain from his eyes.

As she got back to her feet, Bishop stared at her with his mouth slightly agape. "You know... I sometimes question your sanity, ladyship. You almost took  _too_ much pleasure in doing that."

She scoffed as she cleaned the blood off of her weapon. "Bastard deserved it after all that shit he spouted. Come on. We know where to go down." She gestured for him to follow, and he reluctantly did. Even Karnwyr seemed fairly concerned, judging by the odd whimper he gave.

Upon nearing the exit that laid just beyond Paratus' camp, an apparition appeared before them. Wyllin recognized him as the Psijic monk who'd appeared to her in Saarthal. "You've been doing well, mage. I suggest you return to your college as soon as possible. Things will be quickly getting out of hand very soon." The image of him then faded before she could respond.

Her and Bishop glanced towards each other, both clearly confused and concerned. The elf said nothing, and then quickly dashed for the exit. Whatever was apparently going on was definitely serious if the monk was appearing to her again. The entire trip back proved to show just how nervous she was. They'd only stop for rest when they desperately needed it, and even then she couldn't ever really sit still, even when Bishop tried to comfort her. The beast blood coursing through her veins was burning hot and he was slightly concerned that her wolf would take over again if she kept it up. Luckily enough, that never happened, and they safely managed to get back to the college, only to be greeted by a very disturbing sight when they got there...

Gods, what did Ancano  _do?_  


	36. College Seized

More anomalies scattered the courtyard of the college, and the mages were having one hell of a time fighting them off. Wyllin looked around for Savos, and was eventually directed inside of the Hall of the Elements by Tolfdir. Once she was inside, she noticed the Archmage standing there with Mirabelle, looking at a massive ward Ancano had placed around the majority of the hall. As the group entered, the two caught sight of them.

"Thank the Gods you're here," Mirabelle said. "Ancano just snapped a few hours ago! We've been trying our hardest to get this ward down ever since. Do you think you can help us?"

"Of course. Let me just..." She turned to Bishop. "You and Karnwyr should wait outside."

He frowned. "What?"

"Please. You don't know the first thing about magic and I don't want you getting hurt."

"Wyllin, I'm not going to-"

_"Go!"_

He jolted a bit, obviously surprised by her tone of voice. "Alright just... Be careful."

She simply nodded and turned to the ward as he walked outside. Fingers curled and sparks began to go off by her palm. Then she released them on the ward. Savos and Mirabelle both began to use their magic as well. It took a few minutes, but the ward was eventually taken down with their combined efforts. Ancano stood by the Eye, drawing power from it. It was clear that he'd gone absolutely mental.

The Archmage was the first to approach. "Ancano! Stop this immediately!"

"Don't come near me, worm!" The Altmer roared back. Even by the way he spoke, he was too far gone to be reasoned with. The Eye had completely taken over his psyche. Wyllin thought back to the Augur's words:  _'Knowledge will corrupt your mind. It will taint your soul. It will consume and destroy you if you are not careful.'_  So whatever the orb was doing to Ancano was what that looked like. "Don't you see what I can do! I have the power of a God at my fingertips!"

Savos frowned at this. "You don't know what you're doing! You could bring the whole college down!"

"To Oblivion with you and your college, Savos! The sacrifice of these pathetic mages you hold so dear will be worth what I could become!"

"This isn't going to work, Archmage!" Wyllin called out to him. "Come on. We need to act  _now!"_ She readied a spell of hers. A green, spore-filled mist began to engulf her hand.

Her words had Ancano turning to her. He gave the Bosmer a crazed look. "No, not even  _you_ can stop me now, Dragonborn! I've risen too far above you pathetic mortals!" His words didn't stop her from making an attempt.

"Wyllin, don't!" Savos exclaimed, but it was too late. Damnit. He bolted in front of her to block out the attack that was coming. Mirabelle managed to grab her just in time and throw up a ward spell to protect the both of them. That, however, could only do so much. The force of the blast from Ancano knocked the elf out cold.

* * *

 

Wyllin woke up in a cold sweat after a good day of unconsciousness. She bolted upright, instantly feeling all of the emotions she felt during the attack. Her crying out brought the attention of the half awake Nord, as well as Karnwyr, who'd been sleeping by his feet. Bishop immediately stood up and ran over to sit by her side. When she felt his arms wrap around her, she instantly clung onto him.

"Woah there, ladyship, it's okay." He pulled her onto his lap and held her close. Fuck. She was shaking from her sudden burst of panic. Fingers trailed through her messy hair as he attempted to soothe her. Eventually, it seemed to work.

"Where are we?" She murmured, voice as shaky as her body was.

"Back in the Hall of Attainment. Ancano completely blocked off access to the Hall of the Elements and they figured it was best to move you here." Well,  _he_ wanted her off of college grounds, but they didn't want to risk bringing her down the bridge in her state, which was probably smart. "Gods. Are you alright? You've been out for the past day."

"Yeah... I think I am." She pulled back to look at him.

His expression then turned from concerned to almost pissed. "Then what in  _Oblivion_ were you thinking?! Damnit Wyllin, you could've been killed! That guy's absolutely fucking  _insane!"_ His sudden shift in tone caught her off guard. She hadn't heard him that angry since when they first met Odahviing. "Don't you  _ever_ fucking scare me like that again, you crazy goddamn woman!"

The events were beginning to come back to her. Yeah, she really was kind of stupid for making an attempt to attack him. "I'm... Sorry." Her voice was trembling as she held onto him more tightly. "I didn't mean to..."

He sighed heavily. "It's fine. You're still alive at least. I should be used to this by now, but I just... I don't want to lose you, okay?"

"I know. We need to do something about this though. Ancano is only going to get worse." She then looked around, finally realizing that the room was completely empty apart from them and Karnwyr. "Mirabelle, Savos... Where are they?"

"Mirabelle's been up and walking for a while now. Savos... Well..." He frowned. "The blast hit him full force, and he didn't make it."

That had her stunned for a moment. "Oh Gods..." He jumped in the way of everything.  _She_ was the one who caused his death by reacting the way she did.

"We can worry about that later, Wyllin. You need to get back on your feet. We need to get the hell out of here before things get any worse. It's bad enough that crazy Thalmor keeps summoning those damned anomalies."

"He's the one who's summoning them?"

"Yeah. All around college grounds. Almost everyone else except Mirabelle and Tolfdir evacuated. They're waiting on you to do the same."

She didn't register his last couple of lines. "If he's summoning them up here... That means he could've been the one who summoned them in Winterhold? Was that-" His distraction in order to speak with the Augur? She wasn't able to finish that.

"Don't worry about this shit right now. Regain your strength. We  _need_ to get out of here before he makes it impossible for us to leave."

"I know, I know. I'm just trying to piece things together." She looked up at him. Her hands moved to cup his cheeks, and the gentle touch managed to soften his expression a little. "Thank you for looking out for me." Gods only knew where she'd be without him.

"I'll always be here to knock you back into line, princess. Don't forget that." He managed some semblance of a smirk, but it vanished when she kissed him. Her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, while his hands settled at her waist. After a moment, he pulled back and laughed quietly. "We should probably get out of here. Can you stand?"

"I think? Maybe..." She looked towards the floor, and then swung her legs around until they were hovering above it. Then she stood up carefully. For a moment, she looked like she was doing fine, but it didn't take long for her to all but collapse to her knees due to a sudden dizzy spell. The Nord reacted quickly enough to pull her back down on top of him in order to keep her from getting hurt further. She glanced back towards him. "Whatever Ancano did must've taken more out of me than I realized. Ugh..."

Bishop sighed. "It's alright. Here..." He moved her off to the side and stood up. After quickly gathering her things, he handed them off to her. As soon as her weapons and bag were fixed into place, she was scooped up and into his muscular arms. She was so easy for him to lift up, and it was almost embarrassing on the elf's part. He whistled to catch Karnwyr's attention. The wolf got up and headed over to them. After that, they headed out. At least the anomalies had been cleared out for the time being, which allowed the group to safely exit.

Wyllin couldn't help but stare at the powerful ward that engulfed the entirety of the Hall of the Elements. "Gods above..." She mumbled. "I've never seen such power." Seen? She could practically  _feel_ it buzzing through her. The hair on her arms painfully stood on end from under her armor, and that definitely wasn't because of the cold. Attunement to magic was both a blessing and a curse.

"Yeah, well, let's just hope he stays locked in there for now." He continued on without another word. They got about halfway down the bridge before running into Mirabelle and Tolfdir, who stood on a landing by a magicka font. Bishop was finally able to let Wyllin back onto her feet.

She looked towards the other two. "Everyone else is evacuated then?"

"Yes. They're all safe. Most have taken to hiding out in the ruins of Saarthal for the time being, as the Nords have become rather irritated, but that's neither here nor there. Thank the gods you're alright." Mirabelle then looked over towards Bishop. "I presume he's filled you in?"

She nodded. "Yes. Ancano's attack, what he's doing in the hall, Savos, everything... We need to fix this."

"I think you should be taking a break, Dragonborn," Tolfdir chimed in. "You took quite a hit back there, from what I've heard. Heading back out so soon might not be the best of ideas."

"But... But we need to..." Damnit. Despite regaining her balance, she was still feeling somewhat dizzy. He was right. She leaned against Bishop for support just in case, and then continued to speak. "Yeah, I probably should. At least I have the location of the Staff of Magnus."

"You do?" He asked.

She nodded. "Well, what  _might_ be the staff, according to what I've found out in Mzulft. It's supposedly held in some place called Labyrinthian..?"

Mirabelle gave her a look that was a mix of puzzled and concerned. "Labyrinthian? Are you sure that's what you heard?"

"Yes. Bishop can back me up. Why? What's wrong with that place?"

"This cannot be a coincidence." The Breton moved to retrieve something from her satchel. "Not long after you arrived to help us, Savos had given me something. He said it was from there." She produced the object from her bag. "It's the torc that will allow you to enter the front entrance to the ruins. He removed it from the main doors for some reason, but wouldn't tell me why. He told me I'd know what to do with it when the time came... I think he meant this for you, or well, whoever was destined to enter there when the time came. I'm not sure why, but there was something very personal about this to him. If you're going to Labyrinthian, then it will do you the most good."

The torc was handed off to Wyllin, who studied it carefully. "If this was so special to him, why did he give it away."

Mirabelle simply shrugged. "That's not for me to know. Savos was never one to share the details of his past, even with those he trusted most, but his past doesn't matter now. Not when he's..." She paused, obviously feeling uncomfortable at even uttering the word. Instead, she decided to continue past that. "Once you're recovered, take it to Labyrinthian. Go in and find that staff. We need to put an end to this as soon as possible."

"Of course. Thank you." She slipped the torc into her bag. "We should probably get out of here now."

The Master Wizard nodded. "Let's go then. You rest at the inn. Tolfdir and I are going to check on the others over in Saarthal."

"Sounds like a plan." She headed off with them, happy that she was at least able to walk on her own again, for the most part. Still, she clung onto her partner's arm as they made their way down the bridge just to be on the safe side. When they reached the inn, she took a seat while he went to go order food and drinks for the both of them. The moment alone allowed her to process things a bit more carefully. It clearly left her troubled, and Bishop picked up on that as he walked back.

"You alright, princess?" He asked, though it was pretty damn easy to tell she wasn't, and that was completely understandable.

"Take a guess," She murmured as she stared down at the plate he sat in front of her. He knew her favorites by that point, but she lacked any form of appetite. Memories of that confrontation left her stomach feeling like it was going to tie up into knots. Still, she knew she had to eat  _something_.

The Ranger sat down beside her and looked her over, clearly concerned. "You're blaming yourself, aren't you?"

She furrowed her brow and turned her attention to him. "What?"

"You're blaming yourself for all of this. For that orb, and Ancano, and the Archmage's death. I know you by now." He gave an exasperated sigh. "You can't hide it from me."

"Then who am I  _supposed_ to blame? I was the one who agreed to do all of this. I was told that  _I'd_ begun this chain of events, and now I can't stop them." She leaned her elbows on the table and rested her head in the palms of her hands. "If it weren't for me..."

"Someone else would've done it, you know. Some other member of the college, or outsider they pulled in. Then all of this shit would've still happened, even if it wasn't initially started by you. That's just how fate works."

"Yeah, you're right..."

"So, stop acting like this, Moping around isn't going to do shit, and frankly, I don't like putting up with it." He folded his arms over the table and leaned in. "At least they'll actually have someone who's going to see this through. You're nothing if not perseverent, I'll give you that. Sometimes to a goddamn aggravating degree."

"And yet you hang around."

"Of course I do. You're... Important to me." It still felt weird thinking that way about anyone. He still couldn't believe how she managed to just... Lure him in the way she did.

His response had her smiling. She scooted over a bit and wrapped her arms around him as one of his rested over her shoulders. "I love you, my prince."

"Oh, you do now?" He raised an eyebrow.

She looked up at him. "Are you doubting me?"

"Mmm... No, but there are definitely ways for you to prove it to me. You know, just in case." He gave her a playful smirk.

She huffed at that. "Insatiable wolf."

"You know it, princess." He then chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you too."

After he said that, she rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. She remained like that for a moment, but then glanced up at him again. "You know, you could use a bath. You smell worse than Karnwyr normally does."

He rolled his eyes. "Tch. You don't exactly smell all that pleasant yourself, you know."

"Hey!"

"You started it." He shook his head and nudged her so she'd move away. "Fine, I'll get one. You're more than welcomed to join me..." The suggestive look in his eyes had her face heating up slightly. Fingers moved to brush against her cheek, but soon pulled back. "Though that can wait until after we've eaten."

She chewed at her lip. Damnit. Why did he have to get inside of her head like that? He could do it so easily... It was bad enough that the stress was already making her inner beast want to run wild. He was giving her a reason to, and that had her insides twisting into knots. Her appetite had miraculously come back and she was able to finally settle down enough to eat. Bishop had finished up first, and then went to go talk to the innkeeper about getting a bath started. Wyllin had agreed to move all of their stuff to a room in the meantime. After eating, she did just that, and then switched her armor for her night clothes and grabbed her supplies before heading out to the bath house. On her way, she made sure to tell the innkeeper to not let  _anyone_ disturb them. Then she quietly made her way towards the bath.

Bishop was already there, submerged waist deep in the steaming water. His eyes were closed and his head was tilted back. Water droplets rolled down his toned chest and dripped from his soaked hair. Fuck. He looked perfect. Apparently, he was too lost in whatever thoughts that had him smirking to notice the little elf that slipped into the room. She wasted no time in getting rid of her clothes which, despite how they hung off of her, felt extremely uncomfortable at the time. The heat that'd built up between her legs wasn't helping a goddamn thing.

The Nord's eyes finally opened when he felt the water rippling as someone settled in beside him. He looked over and that smirk widened. "I was starting to wonder when you were going to get in here. You know, every minute we spend apart just lets me think about all the things I want to do to you when I finally get you under me again."

"I'm not even surprised." She reached off to her side, where she'd sat down her bathing products. "But first, I'm getting that stench of wolf off of you."

"Sweetness, I'm around  _two_ wolves on a constant basis. I doubt that smell is ever going to go away, no matter how many of your girly products you use on me."

She shook her head. "These products aren't 'girly', Bishop. They're just supposed to get you clean. If it's possible for me, a  _werewolf,_ to not constantly smell like a dog, then I'm pretty sure you can manage as well if you just fucking try." Then she gestured for him to move closer to her. "Here, let me wash your back."

"Mmm. I'll bet you've just been waiting to get your hands on me." He grinned as she sighed and rolled her eyes at him. Then he settled down in front of her, with her sitting cross-legged behind him. "You know, I'm feeling a little tense as well. Think you can help me out with that too?"

"I'll see what I can do." She then began to soap up his back. Admittedly, he  _did_ feel rather tense. As she worked the soap into his skin, she also rubbed her thumbs hard into the knots by his shoulders. A smile formed as he began to release occasional sighs, clearly content with what she was doing. He leaned over a bit as she made her way further down, grunting each time she came across a particularly stiff area. It was hard for her to not look over his scars as she went. The dim candlelight barely illuminated his back enough to see them. Luckily, he wasn't turned in a way that he'd be able to see the frown on her face. What were all of them from? Certainly Thorn wasn't the only cause of them. Maybe she would be able to get more out of him in the future. For the time being, delving into his past was the last thing on her mind.

"Gotta admit, you work wonders with those hands." Him saying that had her snapping back into reality.

She chuckled. "I'm pretty sure you're  _well_ aware of that by now."

"I am indeed. You know, you can put them to good use somewhere else..."

"Mmm. I suppose I could..." She sat the soap off to the side and splashed up a little bit of water to clean the suds off of his back. Then she reached for a bottle of shampoo with one hand while the other rubbed gently at his shoulder. Without any kind of warning, she dumped some of the contents onto his head and began to rub it into his scalp vigorously. The suddenness of it caught him off guard.

"What the fuck, woman!" He hissed as he squeezed his eyes shut to avoid letting anything get into them. "You could've at least told me first!"

From behind him, the Bosmer was cackling wildly as she scrubbed his head. "So you can complain about my 'girly' products again? No, Bishop. You  _need_ this every once in a while."

After a couple of minutes, he apparently had enough. He submerged his head into the water for a few seconds to get the shampoo out of his hair. When he came back up, she was sitting there with a shit-eating grin on her face. He scowled at her as he pushed his hair out of his eyes. "For the love of the Gods. Did you really  _have_ to do that?"

"Yes, and you can bet your ass that I'll be brushing it when we're done with the bath."

He groaned and closed his eyes as he placed one of his hands on his forehead. "Stop treating me like a doll!"

"Then learn some basic sanitary skills!" She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. She still had the same smug expression when he looked back over at her.

He just frowned as he got onto his knees in front of her. The dirty look he was sporting didn't deter the mischief in her eyes. Then he leaned down and kissed her. Her arms had immediately wrapped around him, while his hands had settled on rubbing her sides. When he pulled back, he stared down at her, amber eyes practically glowing in the candlelight. "I have half a mind to make you pay for that little stunt." The tone he used was almost... Dark in a way, and it gave her chills.

She did her best to maintain composure, despite the fact that goosebumps raised up on her arms. "Oh? Are you going to punish me, big man?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He dipped his hands below the water to grab her by her hips. Then he pulled her almost completely against him. It was pretty clear that she could feel his erection pressed against her inner thigh with how she squirmed under his touch, eager for things to go further. "Though aren't you the  _least_ bit concerned about someone disturbing us here?"

At that point, she didn't even care. "If they want to, then let them."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's rather bold of you. Where's the Wyllin I know and what have you done with her?" The frown she gave him in response had him chuckling. "You really want me that badly, sweetness?"

"More than you know." So much had gone on. She liked the thought of just returning to more simple and primal things for the night. No magical bullshit or crazy Thalmor. Just her and this soaking wet bastard before her. His hands slipped up her body, and he groped at what little her chest had to offer. She moaned softly at his touch as her legs wrapped tightly around his thighs. She wanted more of him.

He leaned down, mouth hovering by her ear. His hot breath against her skin had her blushing something fierce. "Just say the word."

"Take me," She mumbled. "Please."

'Please'? That was a rarity. The word had him grinning. He was quick to oblige. "I'm more than happy to." She was positioned back so her hips were just barely above water line. Then he leaned down and kissed her, which she was very willing to return. As she did, two digits slid inside of her, which had her making soft noises against his lips. He pumped his fingers in and out of her, prepping her for what was to come next. Soon enough, they were pulled out, and then he positioned the both of them. Her hips were angled up slightly as he aligned himself with her entrance. Then, all at once, he buried himself inside of her.

She broke the kiss to let out a loud moan. Her hands moved up to grip at his soaked hair as he began to thrust his hips, picking up his pace more quickly than usual. Kisses at her jawline had her tilting her head to the side. Then she felt teeth graze against the skin on her neck, which had her jolting a bit. She swore under her breath. So that's the game he wanted to play? Very well. She abandoned his hair and wrapped her arms around him. A devious smirk graced her features before she dug her nails into the skin on his back and dragged them down.

He hissed at the feeling and bucked into her a bit more roughly than he had been. Despite the squeak she let out, she gave him a smug look when his eyes met hers again. "Those damn things are weapons," He growled. Then he pulled himself out, which had her concerned for a couple of seconds. Was he really  _that_ upset? No, not in the slightest. Instead, she was just flipped onto her front, and had barely enough time to prop herself up before he pushed into her again. She gripped onto the edge of the bath and clenched her teeth, which did little to stop the noises that escaped her. He tightened his hold on her hips as he picked up his pace, keeping her as still as he was able to while he fucked her.

"Gods... Bishop..." The elf moaned. She folded her forearms together in front of her and then leaned her forehead against them. A familiar sensation had begun to stir inside of her. She knew exactly what it was. "I'm close..." Her voice was surprisingly soft, almost mousy, which completely defied how she normally spoke.

He let out a breathy chuckle. "Are you now?" He removed one of his hands from her hips and brushed her hair off to one side. Then it settled down on the edge of the bath. The other remained where it was to support her as he began a much slower and rougher pace. He leaned down a little to the point where she could feel his breath against the back of her neck and ear, which sent shivers running along her spine. The low and sensual tone he spoke to her in only made that feeling worse. "Cum for me, princess." Fuck. She absolutely  _adored_ the way he said that.

Her body was completely on board with his request as well. It wasn't long before she was driven over the edge. A wave of ecstasy washed over to her as she'd all but cried out when her climax hit. As she did, the speed of his thrusts picked back up again. She reached up and tangled her fingers into his hair, and then ran them through the drenched locks as a form of praise. "I love you."

"Love you too." That came out somewhat strained. He was getting close as well. It didn't take much more before he pulled out and released. After that, he pulled back from her and settled down into the water again. She soon found herself being pulled onto his lap. He held her close against his chest as they shared a passionate kiss.

She reached up to cup his stubbled cheeks. Once the kiss was broken, she pressed her forehead against his, eyes closed. A soft smile graced her features. "You're amazing."

He let out a breathy laugh when she said that. "You don't need to tell me what I already know. Of course, I'm not complaining. Please do keep going."

That had her scoffing playfully. She pulled back and nudged his shoulder with her hand. "I probably shouldn't be fueling your ego as much as I do sometimes. I'm just surprised you're not... Bored of this already."

"Bored?" He raised an eyebrow at that comment. "I don't think I could ever get 'bored' of you. Every time we're together, you just... Make me feel something I've never really felt before. I don't know. It's hard to explain." And he'd probably sound stupid if he even tried. He then gave her a smirk and brushed his fingers against her cheek. "If you want to try new things though, I'm always open to the idea."

She chuckled and placed her hand over his. "We'll have to see about that. For right now, I kind of want to finish what we supposedly came here for. You know, before the water gets too cold." She could already feel it starting to cool off at that point.

"Might be a good idea." He reached for the bar of soap and then looked her over. "Here, let me help you wash up."

"Anything to get your hands on me."

He shrugged. "Well, I'm not going to deny that."

She shook her head and laughed in response. When he gestured for her to turn around, she did so and allowed him to get to work.


	37. The Ghosts of Labyrinthian

_(A/N: Had to split up Labyrinthian into two chapters because this was getting extremely long, so this one cuts off at a certain point. Next chapter will be uploaded soon!)_

It'd been a few days since Ancano had taken over the college. His ward had grown stronger over the course of the first night and was only increasing in size. Wyllin had set off with Bishop and Karnwyr the moment she was able to, after they'd stocked up on supplies. She was clearly determined to find that staff and set things right again. The Augur was right when he said Ancano had chosen a dark path, and his death would be the only way to stop things from getting worse.

Again, the Bosmer was clearly restless during her journey. Everything that happened was taking its toll on her nerves. Bishop had woken up in the middle of the night a few times during their journey to Labyrinthian to find she'd slipped away from their camp, and the telltale sounds of howling from the forest were enough for him to know what she was getting up to. It was clear that the stress was driving her beast crazy. Honestly, the Nord was fine as long as that beast wasn't turned on him again. She needed to get the stress out of her system somehow.

Any enemy they encountered met a pretty gruesome end as well, from bandits to wild animals. Her savagery had left her lover concerned, and Karnwyr was all but scared shitless. It took a lot for Bishop to not make certain comments about 'relieving stress', but he definitely refrained during that particular trip. The last thing he needed was to potentially worsen her mood with his sexual advances.

"Well, this looks to be the place, if my map is anything to go by." Wyllin said as she glanced over her map, and then looked back up at the ruins before her. She sported a subtle frown as she examined the area. "So, this is Labyrinthian then. It's almost too quiet here. I kind of expected at least bandits or something to be inhabiting the area."

"It's probably best that we stay on guard." Bishop motioned for Karnwyr to keep close to his side, and the wolf obediently followed the command. After that, he drew his bow and carefully scanned the area. "Don't wander too far off."

Her eyes shifted towards him. "Don't treat me like a child, Bishop."

"Then maybe stop getting yourself into trouble like one." He then looked over at her and smirked. "Or I might just have to put you over my knee."

She raised an eyebrow. That was the closest he'd gotten to an advance since they'd started their journey to the ruins. "Be careful about what you say, Ranger. I just might like that."

"Oh? I'll keep it in mind then."

She scoffed and nudged his shoulder in response, but ultimately decided to drop that topic of conversation. "I'll see if anyone - or  _anything_ \- is nearby." She took a deep breath in, and then called upon her Thu'um.  _"Laas Yah Nir."_ Several spots in her line of sight lit up. They were relatively large. Too large to be human, but not in the correct shape to be something like bears. "Hmm..."

"What do you see?"

"I don't know. All I can tell is that they're too big to be bandits or wild mages. I need to draw them out of hiding." She took out her bow and knocked an arrow back. It was aimed at an empty spot right in the middle of where she saw the all of the figures light up. Then she released it. The arrow bounced off of the rocky step it landed on and made a loud enough sound to catch the attention of the hidden figures. One of them decided to come out from the structure it was standing behind to investigate the mysterious noise. Once Wyllin realized what she was looking at, she cursed under her breath. "Frost trolls. Of course."

"Fantastic. I always hated going up against these things, and this is coming from someone who used to hunt giants for sport."

"They can regenerate very quickly, especially from normal attacks. They do have one weakness, however." She smirked as she put her bow away.

"And what would that be?" Bishop asked, frowning at the expression she wore. That little elf was up to something.

"These guys, like any other type of troll, aren't too fond of fire. Unfortunately for them, I was paying attention to Faralda's lessons back at the college." Her hands were brought close to her chest, fingers curling slightly. From in between them a ball of flames began to form as she quietly muttered an incantation. She narrowed her eyes at the troll that had come out of hiding, and then released the spell onto it. Within seconds, her target was consumed by a small fiery explosion. It howled in pain as it was practically burnt to a crisp by the direct hit from the powerful spell.

Despite the fact the fire came nowhere near them, Bishop and Karnwyr still found themselves taking a few steps back from it. The Nord looked over towards his partner. "What in the everloving fuck was  _that?"_

"A fireball," She responded flatly while she watched the fire as it began to die down. The once pure white fur on the troll was completely blackened by the flames that had consumed it, and it was clear that the thing was dead. The Bosmer was clearly amused by the sight before her to an almost disturbing degree.

His brow furrowed as he observed the scene. "Holy shit, woman. You're dangerous."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Looks like we still have a few others to deal with though." She was right. A few more trolls had come out of hiding to investigate what had happened. Wyllin was quick to duck behind part of the ruins, and her two companions followed. She peered out to see the other trolls had gathered around the one she'd killed. Her voice was quiet when she spoke again. "There's three of them, and they're all too close together. I could summon my wolves to even the odds, but these things could probably take them down without much effort like this. We need to try and divide them."

He nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'll take the left with Karnwyr and see if we can't draw one away. Taking down two with your summons will probably be easier than three."

"Definitely." She readied her spell, and then turned to Bishop. "Be careful."

"Always am, princess." He then motioned for Karnwyr to follow him.

Wyllin watched as the two headed off and eventually disappeared behind the corner of the structure they'd been hiding behind with her. Then she turned her attention back towards the trolls, waiting patiently. A minute or so had passed, but an arrow eventually lodged itself into the arm of one of the trolls, who roared and looked off towards its attacker. The other two soon followed, and that's when she decided to strike. Her wolves were summoned, and a flick of her wrist sent the three of them charging towards their enemies. She then readied an arrow and snuck out from behind the structure.

From off to the side, she could see Bishop had found an elevated place to shoot from, and he was taking aim at the same troll he'd struck before, who'd turned all of its focus onto him. Her wolves had settled on one of the others, and were attacking it mercilessly. She had taken aim at the final one while it was getting ready to charge at her summons. A shot to its neck had it turning towards the elf and deciding she'd make a better target. The lumbering beast barreled after his attacker, only to be struck again by one of her arrows. That gave her just enough time to swap her bow out for her blades, and then she widened her stance and braced herself.

Bishop had managed to land a hit right in the eye of the troll as it charged towards him. Karnwyr then came out from where he was watching from and dashed towards the beast after the arrow stunned it. He pounced on it and dug his teeth and claws in, swiftly finishing the job. Then he sat down by the fallen troll and looked towards his brother, happily panting and wagging his tail, as if proud of his achievement.

The elf was busy dodging the strikes sent her way by the troll attacking her. There were a few openings where she managed to take a stab or slash at it. Sadly enough, they were too far between, and the troll was able to regenerate quickly after each one. At the rate she was going, she wasn't getting anywhere, and eventually made the decision to swing her leg and land a kick on its side. While it didn't exactly do  _much,_ it still sent it staggering for a moment, which gave her just enough time to call upon her Thu'um.  _"YOL TOOR SHUL."_  Fire spewed forth, engulfing her enemy and halting its regenerative abilities. Right after she did that, she rushed at the troll and drove her daggers right into its chest, knocking it off its feet completely. That attack mixed with the fire from just before was enough to end its life.

Once she was sure the thing was dead, she pulled her blades from its corpse and cleaned them off as she watched her wolf summons finally overpower the troll they attacked. After they finished it off and her blades were sheathed, she dismissed them.

"Just as vicious as always, ladyship." Bishop made his way over with the still-proud Karnwyr happily trailing behind. The Nord looked his partner over. Then he brought his hand up to her cheek and used his thumb to clean off a small splotch of the troll's blood that landed there. "You know, you still manage to look good even when you're covered in the blood of your enemies."

That had her laughing as she pushed his hand away. To think that he complained about  _her_ treating  _him_ like a doll. "Well, you must be used to seeing me in it by now."

He smirked. "I'd prefer seeing you in nothing at all."

"There will be time for that after we get this staff and deal with Ancano." She then looked towards the large set of doors that would lead into Labyrinthian. "For right now, we have some Nordic ruins to deal with." She heard him grumbling from behind her. "The sooner we're done with this, the sooner we can be out of here and curled up by a campfire together."

"I guess you have a point." He let out a sigh. "Fine."

"Good. Come along then, Ranger. We don't have all day." She beckoned for him to follow her as she walked towards the door. When she got close enough to it, she looked it over and found the place the torc Mirabelle had given her was supposed to go. Just as she was about to grab it from her bag, she heard something from behind her. Voices? She turned to see several ghostly figures had appeared. Bishop and Karnwyr had noticed them to, as they both turned towards the same area.

The first one to speak was a Dunmer mage she recognized all-too well.  _"Come on, we're finally here! Let's not waste anymore time!"_  Savos. Was he reaching out to her in some way?

A ghostly Argonian then spoke.  _"Are we truly sure this is a good idea?"_  A few of the other spectres bickered, before one eventually had them quieting down. Then they all walked towards the door to Labyrinthian and vanished. Wyllin just stared at the entire scene in shock.

"I'm guessing you saw that too," Bishop asked after the ghosts had vanished, snapping the elf out of her trance.

She looked over at him and blinked a couple of times. It took a few seconds for her to process his words. "Yeah... That Dunmer was Savos. He entered this place with a group?"

"A group of college trained mages, and they're all apparently dead..." He scratched the back of his head as he eyed the entrance to the ruins. "I'm getting the feeling entering this place is a bad idea, princess."

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Oh please. They were trained at the college, but that doesn't mean they had experience with the shit you can find in places like this. Given what we've already been through, I think we'll do just fine."

"Famous last words."

She gave him a cold stare. "Let's just go. Getting this staff is the only way we can put an end to what I started, remember?" The torc was pulled from her bag and lodged into the area it was supposed to go. She then gripped onto the handle and took a deep breath, before pulling it back and banging it against the door a few times. When she did, the ground started to shake under her feet. Bishop hurried over, grabbed her from behind, and pulled her out of the way. Right after he did, the door opened up, allowing them to enter.

He sat the elf back onto her feet when he figured it was safe. "Ready whenever you are."

One of her hands rested over the blade attached to her belt as she walked in. When the three entered, the door immediately closed behind them, causing her to jump and look back at it. She walked over and examined it, and then made an attempt at pushing it open. "Well, looks like we're not gonna be able to get back out this way." She glanced over to Bishop, who wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was looking ahead at something. The ghosts. They were back again.

 _"I can't believe we're doing this,"_  A female dark elf said as she looked around.

 _"Can you imagine the looks on their faces when we come back?"_  Savos responded. At that point, he was the only one who seemed enthusiastic about the expedition in any sort of way.

 _"You keep talking like you're sure we'll find something useful here,"_  A Nord grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Wyllin just watched as the former Archmage did his best to amp up the pessimistic crowd, with almost no luck. The leader of the expedition, Atmah, appeared to be the only other one who felt sure of themselves. When the brief conversation came to an end, she, Savos, and the others all headed towards a set of double doors that would lead further into the dungeon.

"The more I hear these guys talk, the more I feel like we're going to end up just like them," Bishop said shortly after the second scene ended.

"I literally went to  _Sovngarde_ to fight the strongest dragon on all of Nirnand lived to tell the tale. We're going to be just fine." She rolled her eyes. "This is the first time in a long while that I've seen you so jumpy about going into a place like this with me."

"Well, when the damn  _ghosts_ of the last people who entered are just sitting around and talking about the adventure that ultimately ended in their deaths... I think it's a perfectly  _normal_ reaction to be on edge, ladyship." He crossed his arms and looked over at her. "Well, normal for anyone who isn't a Nordic legend drowning in her own hubris, that is."

She scoffed at his comment. "Like it or not, we  _have_ to do this anyway. The exit behind us isn't budging, so we're stuck here until we find another way out. If you're really so concerned about being here, then you're welcome to just wait. I'm going in and getting this damned staff before things get any worse back at the college. In case you need to be reminded, the fate of Skyrim - perhaps even all of Tamriel - is hanging in the balance." With that, she turned and headed off down a small set of steps and through the doors. Apparently, Bishop wasn't going to take her up on her offer to remain where he was. Both he and Karnwyr followed her further in.

The journey went smoothly for all of two or three minutes, until they came across an open area that was barred off with an iron gate. Wyllin located the pull chain to open the gate and then headed in. The moment her companion was about to step through, however, it slammed shut again, which had her turning back to face him.

"What the actual  _fuck?"_ The Nord growled.

"Hang on, there's one on this side too. Let me just..." She tugged at the chain, but it wouldn't go down. "Is this thing rusted in place or something? I can't get it to-"

"Wyllin, look out!"

She turned to find a few skeletons had risen from the piles of bones strewn around the floor, and was just quick enough to dodge the blade of the sword one of them had swung at her. A blast from her fire magic was enough to take them out, but that wasn't the end of it, apparently. From off to the other side of the large room, the skeleton of what looked to be a dragon began to slowly piece itself back together. Shit.

"Don't just stand there! Go take care of that thing! I can handle this stupid gate on my own."

The elf nodded and charged in. Several other skeletons rose up from the ground, which she was quick to take care of. That still left the dragon, however. It had fully regained its form at that point and glared down at his opponent. Despite the fact it was nothing but bones, it still retained its ability to Shout. Ice spewed forth from its maw, which forced Wyllin to jump out of the way. She lost her balance in the process and landed in a pile of bones. The dragon took the opportunity it was given and charged at her. She braced herself for the attack, but it wasn't able to reach her.

From off to the side, a spike of ice lodged itself into the side of the skeletal beast. Looking off in the direction it came from revealed the attacker was one of the spectres from Savos' group. The dragon's gaze turned to the ghostly mage, which allowed an opening for Wyllin to escape. Her boot collided with the chest of the beast, which only disorientated it further and sent it staggering back. She then rolled off to the side and got back onto her feet. Meanwhile, the mage continued to fling spells at the dragon to keep its attention off of her.

She got a decent amount of distance between herself and the dragon and then readied her own spell. She released the ball of fire that'd formed between her fingers, and it exploded the moment it made contact with the skeletal dragon, incinerating it almost entirely. Whatever life force that held the dragon together fled, and it completely fell apart into a pile of useless bones once more. After that was over, Wyllin's attention was immediately turned towards the ghost, who was looking at her as well. She quickly rushed over to him.

He pulled his hood back, and she could make out that he was a fellow Bosmer. They stared at each other for a moment, but he then motioned for her to continue on.  _"Keep going. My friends are still trapped here. Free them."_

Trapped? What did he mean by 'trapped'? What the  _hell_ did Savos do in this place? She didn't even have time to ask that before the mage's figure faded completely. Instead, she was just left there, staring at the spot he once stood with a completely dumbfounded expression. The feeling of the hand of a very much  _living_ being grabbing her shoulder had her snapping back into reality. She turned to see Bishop had managed to get past the gate.

"Are you alright?" He asked. "What even happened? Who was that ghost?"

"One of the members of the expedition," She responded after finding her ability to speak again. "He mentioned something about friends of his being trapped there. You don't think that could mean some of these people are still alive, do you?"

Bishop shook his head. "After all this time? Probably not. That Archmage must've done something to keep their souls here. Gods, isn't he supposed to be a good guy? Anyway, come on. We're not going to find out just by sitting here."

"Right." She looked around and then found a large, circular opening. That was undoubtedly where they needed to go. Once they made their way down it, they came across a small podium with an etched stone tablet on top of it. As Wyllin was inspecting it, the figures of the dead mages appeared all around her group.

 _"We... We have to go back! We can't leave Girduin!"_  The female Dunmer exclaimed, clearly out of breath. Even with her ethereal form, Wyllin could see the fear on her face. She looked as though she was about ready to cry.

The Nord from the group frowned and crossed his arms.  _"We barely made it out alive, and you want to go back in?!"_

Atmah shook her head and placed a hand on the dark elf's shoulder.  _"It's too late, Elvali. There isn't enough of him to go back in after."_

The Argonian looked just as panicked as Elvali.  _"Gods, what have we done?"_

Savos made another attempt at calming down what remained of his group, with Atmah backing him up. Eventually, everyone settled on pressing forward, given the fact they couldn't exactly go back. After they vanished again, Wyllin looked towards Bishop. He apparently didn't have anything to say on the matter for once, and instead just nodded his head in the direction they needed to go in. They got past another set of doors, only to come across something unusual. Before them was a strange door that was completely covered in ice. The moment Wyllin tried to step over to it, a chilling voice came from the other end, stopping her in her tracks.

 _"Wo meyz wah dii vul junaar?"_  The speaker asked. His very words seemed to drain her, and she fell to a knee.

"Wyllin!" Bishop called out as he rushed over. "Fuck, what happened? Who was that?"

"I don't know..." She murmured as she allowed him to help her back to her feet. "He spoke in... Dragon tongue, but that clearly wasn't a dragon. A Dragon Priest, maybe?"

He gave her a confused look. "Dragon Priest?"

She nodded. "They were mortals who gained the favor of dragons during Alduin's tyranny, and were basically granted special privileges. I've faced off against a few of them before. Anyway, that's not important. We need to get past this... Thing." She eyed the ice door, and then walked over to the pedestal that stood on the other end of the room. A tome stood on top of it. Destruction magic. Flames. Of course. She quickly dashed back over to the door and motioned for Bishop and Karnwyr to step back.

"What are you doing?"

She smirked at him. "Well, this door is made of ice. What counteracts ice?"

"Dear Gods..."

One of her palms was outstretched towards the door, and a stream of flames sprung out from it. The moment they made contact with the spikes of ice protruding from the floor, it violently shattered and melted away, revealing the doorway hidden behind it. She dropped her hand to her side and peered into the passageway that had been opened up. "Well, that was easier than expected."

"Ladyship, watch out!" Her partner called to her when she was about to make her way over to the door.

An odd type of spirit that was completely covered in frost had formed in front of her. Before it had the chance to draw its weapon and attack, Karnwyr dashed over and tackled it to the ground. The bitter chill emanating from the spirit hardly bothered the wolf as he tore into his victim. Soon enough, its form dissolved into nothingness, leaving a somewhat confused Karnwyr sniffing around, wondering where his victim went.

The scene had Wyllin chuckling. She whistled to catch his attention, and he quietly padded over with a curious expression on his face. The elf kneeled down in front of him to pat him on the head, and then reached into her bag to fetch a small, wrapped up piece of venison from a deer she'd hunted down the previous day. The wrapping was peeled off, and then the piece of meat was tossed towards the wolf. He caught it and happily devoured his reward.

"You spoil him sometimes, you know?" Bishop commented as he walked over to the two. "I'm surprised he still hunts for his own meals anymore."

She stood back up and placed her hands on her hips. "At least  _one_ of the wolves I travel with knows how to pull his own weight."

He glared at her. "I've saved your ass more times than I can count, woman. Don't give me that shit."

"Wow, then you must not be able to count very high."

_"Wyllin!"_

"Quiet, you. We still have to get through these ruins." She then turned and headed through the doorway, with Karnwyr happily trotting behind her, still licking his chops from the treat she'd given him. The Nord sighed heavily and then followed her as well.

Just as they stepped into the passageway, the voice from the Dragon Priest called out once more.  _"Nivahriin muz fen siiv nid aaz het."_

Bishop managed to catch Wyllin before she collapsed to the ground that time and held her against him as she tried to regain herself. "This really must be taking a toll on you."

"It's like he's... Draining my magicka reserves somehow. It's getting harder to replenish them."

"Take your time. Can't do much against enemies in this kind of state."

"We don't exactly  _have_ a whole lot of time." She pulled away from him and grabbed a magicka potion from her side pouch. "The longer we spend here, the more powerful Ancano is going to get." The stopper was pulled from it and she downed the contents as Bishop mumbled a few profanities under his breath at her stubbornness. He was beginning to grow sick of it. After she finished the potion, she looked out at the area ahead of them and drew her bow. With this guy constantly draining her magicka, it was better to rely on something other than her spells. An arrow was aimed at one of the draugr roaming the area before them. Each one that showed its ugly head was shot down by either the Bosmer or her companion. Once they were certain that every last one of them was gone, they headed further in.

"So, which way are we going then?" Bishop asked as he observed their surroundings.

Wyllin frowned as she looked around as well. There were several paths for them to take. In all honesty, she had no way of knowing which one would lead them closer to the staff. "I guess we should start with the nearest one. If it turns out to be a dead end, we can just retrace our steps and get back out to here, right? It's not like this place seems to be constantly changing around us or anything."

He sighed at that last observation of hers. "Ladyship, please don't jinx us. We've already got enough to worry about in this Gods forsaken place."

"Relax, would you? You're gonna start getting  _me_ anxious." As if she wasn't already, though she did a much better job at hiding it apparently. She scanned ahead of them for the way down to the nearest passageway and eventually spotted a narrow bridge that would lead them directly to it. "Come on. I think this is the way we have to go."

He allowed her to go first, and then quickly followed. A slightly concerned Karnwyr carefully trailed behind the both of them. For the majority of the time, Wyllin had pretty good footing, which wasn't much of a surprise for a nimble elf who spent a good majority of her life climbing trees and walking across their limbs. There was a point where she placed her foot down on a bad spot and the ground below her crumbled away. The feeling of it giving way startled her, and she jumped back, colliding with the Ranger behind her. He let out a surprised noise and just barely managed to stay on his feet. The sheepish grin she gave him was met by a cold stare.

"Could you  _try_ to not get us both killed?"

The awkward grin turned into a frown. "Could  _you_ try to not act like a prick? I'm doing my best here." It was clear that the stress was starting to get the best of both of them, despite the fairly short amount of time they'd been inside of Labyrinthian. She pushed away from him and continued on without another word, hugging her arms together as she went. It was bad enough that her nerves were shot even  _before_ entering this place, but now things were putting a strain on their relationship? Fantastic. She couldn't wait to just be  _done_ with this stupid college.

They got off the bridge without any further issues, but Wyllin stopped just by the entrance to the tunnel they were about to head down. Her eyes narrowed and a hand went to one of her daggers. At first, her actions had Bishop giving her a quizzical expression, but then he heard the sound of thudding footsteps. Something was charging at them from the darkness. A large draugr decked out in full heavy armor and a battle axe appeared. Wyllin managed to step to the side right as the thing swung for her. The momentum had it barreling forward as it struck at thin air and it wasn't able to regain itself in time before it ran right off the cliff edge in front of it.

The elf crept towards the edge and peered down. From below, she could see the draugr struggling to get back up. Something on it was clearly broken. An arrow was aimed and planted itself right into the thing's skull, finishing it off instantly. She made eye contact with Bishop as she turned back around. "Just in case."

"You really should conserve those arrows. You're running low."

She scoffed and shook her head. "Don't chide me. If I really have to, I'll just pluck some from one of the draugr archers. Gods know there's plenty of them around here." With that, she continued back towards the tunnel, and went down it that time. At the end of it, they reached a set of iron doors. Just as her partner was about to open it, she pushed his hand back down. "There's a fucking rune on that door, and here you're saying  _I'm_ reckless." He just held up his hands and backed away, allowing her to take care of the rune. Setting it off had the doors practically burst off their hinges from the blast. They opened to reveal a small room with an enchanter's table, alchemy lab, and various magical objects.

"Great. Dead end number one."

She didn't pay attention to his words, and instead walked further in. On the stone slab with the enchanter's table was two books. One held the symbol for the Alteration school of magic, which she picked up, and the other had a very familiar cover. "This is a copy of 'Immortal Blood', but that book wasn't around when this place was still in use." That had her scratching the back of her head. Her eyes then turned to the skeleton on the chair just by the table. "Whoever this was, they were here more recently."

"Well, they aren't much help to us in this state, unless you know how to raise the dead."

"No, I'm not the fondest of necromancy." More like she found it completely disturbing and repulsive. "Whatever. Come on, this clearly isn't the place we need to be." The tome had the potential to be useful, however. She couldn't remember coming across a copy of a book for a spell called 'Equilibrium' back in the college. That was thrown into her bag before she made her way back into the tunnel once more. Luckily enough, her assumptions about Labyrinthian not changing around were correct, and they easily made their way back to the area they were before. After skirting across a narrow ledge, they came to a stop in front of a fork. One path led straight ahead, and the other led downwards.

"Which way then, princess?"

Wyllin eyed both paths carefully, though she actually didn't have to make a choice. When she took one more step forward, the voice called out to her again.

 _"You do not answer... must I use this guttural language of yours?"_ So he could speak Tamrielic. Good to know.

Apparently, him speaking in that 'guttural language' lessened the blow of his draining abilities, or maybe her body was finally getting fed up with it all. She was tempted to call out to the Priest, but decided against it and pushed on in the direction the voice came from. They came across several more draugr, a small stream path, a few skeletons, and a troll. Wyllin found herself questioning how the latter of those managed to get in and how it had stayed alive for so long, but ultimately decided to let it go. Along the way, the Priest continued speaking.

 _"Have you returned, Aren? My old friend?"_  So he knew Savos, which meant the former Archmage had gotten that far into the ruins.  _"Do you seek to finish that which you could not?"_  Finish what?  _"You only face failure once more..."_ By that point, Wyllin was doing her best to ignore the Priest. He wasn't as able to drain her magicka as he was before, and she only needed to briefly pause and catch her breath whenever he spoke to her. Shortly after he uttered those last words, they entered into a wide open area. Given what happened the previous time, they stuck close together to avoid being separated again.

At first, nothing really seemed all that special about the place. There were a few skeletons wielding ice magic, which were disposed of without much trouble. Then they got to a gate made of long, metal bars. A lever sat off to the side, which Wyllin pushed up. As the bars slid down, the voice spoke once more.

_"You...you are not Aren, are you? Has he sent you in his place?"_

Hearing his voice had the elf growling. Her eyes flashed yellow for a brief moment, before she stomped her foot on the ground and shouted out to the Dragon Priest. "FINALLY FIGURED THAT OUT, YOU HEAP OF DECREPIT BONES?" Bishop had dashed over and tried to cover her mouth with his hand, but it was too late by that point. She squirmed out of his grasp and glared back at him. "Don't  _fucking_ touch me, Ranger."

"Are you insane?" He hissed. "Do you want to attract every damn enemy in this place?"

"Oh shut up. We're fine." Fine? Probably not. When she turned around again, she was stopped in her tracks by what she saw ahead of them. Bright orbs of glowing light began to dance around not too far ahead of them. Those things weren't there before. She swore under her breath. "Wisps."

Her partner groaned in response. "Yeah, that  _you_ disturbed. Chances are, there's a wispmother floating around as well." He looked towards Karnwyr and ordered the wolf to stay back. Then he drew his bow and took aim at one of the floating orbs. The arrow ripped completely through the wisp, and it burst into a pile of glowing dust. That caught the attention of the rest of its friends, who honed in on the two. They all rushed for them at once.

Wyllin cursed and took a few steps forward. There were far too many targets to take down at once, no matter how fast either of them could shoot.  _"IIZ SLEN NUS."_  Her Thu'um conjured a massive blizzard, and it rushed towards the cluster of wisps. Each and every one of them was struck by the storm of ice, and they all dropped to the floor, frozen solid. That allowed for them to be disposed of easily. After one of her daggers was driven into the last one, she looked back towards her partner.

"You keep finding new ways to be fucking terrifying with that Voice of yours." That remark almost made him come off as concerned.

"Let that be a reminder for  _you_ to keep off my bad side. You've been having trouble with doing that today." She rolled her eyes and looked back ahead of them. "Now, where's that damn wispmother?"

"I don't know. I was trying to lure her out." An arrow was readied as he started to move closer to the area the wisps were in. Eventually, he did find the target they both were after. A ghostly figure shifted and danced around the odd graveyard-type area she and her wisps had been occupying. He aimed the arrow he'd notched back at the wispmother, but wasn't able to fire before she noticed him. Their eyes locked for a moment, and then a spike of ice was shot at him. He wasn't quick enough to get out of the way, and Wyllin was too far off to reach him in time, but something else managed to intervene.

A spectral figure materialized in front of the Nord and threw up a powerful ward, which the spike shattered against. After getting a good look at the figure, Wyllin realized that it was one of the members of Savos' group, the Dunmer woman Elvali. After blocking the wispmother's attack, she turned her magic against her, shooting a large gout of flame to temporarily halt the ghostly monster's advances. That gave Wyllin enough time to fire off a few well placed arrows into her enemy. Soon enough, she was nothing more than a pile of glowing dust on the floor, just like the wisps she previously controlled.

After that was over, the Bosmer approached Elvali, who smiled softly at her. She then gestured for them to move on and vanished just like Girduin had.

"At least that's over with," Bishop said as he looked over towards Wyllin.

"Yeah," She responded. "Come on, let's keep going." Her bow was put away, and then she continued on. Bishop soon followed after he whistled for Karnwyr. They eventually reached a door that was similar to the one covered in ice. Though this one was blocked by fire. She looked it over, and then began to ready a frost spell in her hands. When it was unleashed upon the door, the fire was doused and the door opened to reveal a spirit coated in flames. Bishop shot an arrow into it while it charged towards Wyllin, and she then finished it off with her ice spell. "Gods. Hopefully there's no more of these stupid doors."

"I dunno, princess." He made his way towards her. "We have to be getting close to that Dragon Priest though. How big can these stupid ruins be?"

"You'd be surprised." So much of it was caved in as well. She could only imagine what it looked like in its prime. "I can feel the magic in the air though. It keeps getting stronger." Upon stepping further towards the now opened door, the Priest decided to speak up once more.

_"Foolish mage. Did Aren not warn you that your own power would be your undoing? That it would only serve to strengthen me?"_

"Not if I have anything to say about it," The elf bitterly mumbled as she made her way through the door. Not even a minute or two later, they came across a room where the spectral figures of Savos and his group appeared once more. That time, they were lacking Elvali.

Aren was sounding more frantic that time.  _"Come on, we can't stop now! We have to keep moving!"_

Atmah worriedly looked around.  _"Where's Elvali? She was right behind me."_

The Nord let out a sigh.  _"Dead. Something grabbed her from behind. She was gone before I could do anything about it."_  That left the Redguard somewhat shaken.

 _"This is insanity!"_  The Argonian cried out.  _"We never should've come here!"_

 _"You're... You're right."_  Atmah hugged her arms together.  _"This is all my fault. Should we turn around and head back?"_

That brought apprehension from the Nord, who argued that was a bad idea. Savos agreed with him, and then urged his group to press forward. Eventually, Atmah gave in and weakly tried to assure the Argonian before the spectres disappeared again.

Bishop looked towards Wyllin, who just stared at the spot where the ghosts had stood. He walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Not at all. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She shrugged his hand off of her and adjusted the collar of her armor. "The sooner we're out of here, the better." With that, she pushed on, making quick work of the skeleton that lurked just ahead. Not long after, they came across an odd scene. The enemies that surrounding the area looked like particularly bony draugr, but were glowing blue. Even their weapons were.

"Shit just keeps getting weirder," Her partner mumbled as he shot down one of the draugr.

"This place has such a heavy magical influence. Feels almost tangible at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason for these things looking this way." There wasn't much of a point in pondering that, however. She just took them down whenever she saw them... And they were relatively easy  _to_ see.

After heading through a thankfully  _normal_ set of doors and taking down a few more draugr, they came across something strange. Off on a podium was an old, dusty tome with the symbol for the Restoration school. She picked it up and examined it carefully. "This is a spellbook for a ward." It was one thing to have books and scrolls to get through the elemental doors, but this was just... Odd. She turned towards Bishop, who was equally confused.

"Dunno, ladyship. Looks like we're in for something. Just stay on guard. That's obviously there for a reason."

"Yeah..." She placed the book back down and looked off to her side, where she saw an archway that led to a flight of steps. "Looks to be the way to go." They carefully descended the steps and headed right. Just when they were about to turn a sharp corner, a large bolt of fire shot directly at them, which had Karnwyr yelping and Wyllin jumping back. The startled elf lost her balance and fell to the floor. "What the actual  _FUCK_ was that?"

Bishop held out a hand and helped her back onto her feet after she took it. "Not sure... Might want to get your ward ready though. Seems more powerful than the other mages we've dealt with here."

"Gods above," She mumbled, and then looked over to see Karnwyr shaking and hiding behind his brother. It took her using her animal controlling abilities to calm him back down. After that was done, she cast her ward and looked towards Bishop to make sure he was ready. He nodded and then followed behind her as she slowly stepped back into whatever had attacked them's line of fire, bracing herself for the next spell.


	38. Morokei

Soul gems. These blasts of magic came from  _soul gems._ Wyllin wasn't a stranger to that kind of trap set up, but it was still frustrating to deal with. The moment she got a break from having to ward off the onslaught of magical attacks, she used her Unrelenting Force to knock the gems off their pedestals. Then the group quickly dashed down the narrow hall and out the other side. After dealing with a few more of the glowing draugr, they found themselves nearing a room where something caught the elf's attention.

"There's a Word Wall," She mumbled as they quietly entered the area, which had Bishop looking over to her. "I can hear the chanting. It's on the other end of the room."

"And something's probably guarding it."

"Yeah. The question is,  _where_ is it?" She scanned the room. Eventually, her eyes settled on a throne near the center of it. With one hand holding onto her weapon, she slowly neared it, making sure to be as silent as she possibly could be. One of the blue draugr sat on the throne, and was apparently not alerted to her presence. She decided to take advantage of that and drew one of her daggers. It was then lodged firmly into the chest of the undead monster. Its eyes lit up when the attack registered and one of its hands reached to grab her wrist. She pulled back before it could grab hold and then plunged the blade into its neck and held it there. Once she was certain the thing was dead again, her dagger was pulled out and sheathed. "There. No more guard."

Bishop just stood there and looked at her with a bit of a dumbfounded expression. "Yeah. Guess that solves things." Well, at least her aggression wasn't being taken out on him.

Wyllin's attention was then turned towards the Word Wall. She walked over to it and her eyes locked on the glowing Word of Power on it. For a moment, everything around her seemed to have slowed almost to a complete halt. The fire from the torches, the gentle breeze, even Bishop and Karnwyr. Everything barely moved, though she was able to just fine. It almost felt like that spell Quaranir had casted to speak with her privately back in the Archmage's quarters. Soon enough, she was brought back to reality once more, and looked back to see the concerned expression on her partner's face.

"Gods... Every time you fall into a trance like that..." It was just weird for him to see her that way. He'd never get used to it, no matter how many times she did it.

She frowned and turned to completely face him. "What?"

He sighed. "Nevermind. If you're done with whatever it is you do when you look at those Walls, I'd like to get going again." He looked off towards the direction of what looked to be the next hall they'd have to go through.

"Yeah. I'm kind of getting sick of this place." How long had they even been down there? She decided to not think on that and headed off towards the hall. There were a few more draugr to take down, and then they came across the ghosts again. Only three of them. The Argonian was missing.

Atmah was the first to speak, and she was almost hysterical.  _"We shouldn't have left her there to die!"_

 _"What were we supposed to do? Stay there and die with her?"_  Savos shifted nervously on his feet and then crossed his arms.  _"She refused to go on, Atmah. We didn't have a choice!"_

As the two argued, the Nord was staring at the door off to the side.  _"This is it, you know. Through this door... Can you feel it?"_  Even in the present day, Wyllin could, and it sent painful chills down her spine. Bishop was unable to, given his lack of attunement to magic, but it was easy to see the way his partner's entire demeanor changed. She looked uncomfortable in her own skin.

The other two abandoned their argument after he'd said that. It was clear that they all were uneasy. The nervous Redguard then spoke up again.  _"We're not going to make it through this, are we?"_

The Nord looked to her.  _"We stay together no matter what, agreed?"_

It did little to reassure her, but she nodded.  _"I'll be with you until the end, Hafnar."_

 _"Agreed. We all stick together."_  Savos saying that almost left a bitter taste in Wyllin's mouth. It was clear that he was the only one who made it. Just  _what_ did he do to achieve that? What happened to the others? Any respect she might've had left for the former Archmage seemed to just drain away in that moment.

"Savos... He abandoned them, didn't he?" She mumbled after the spectres faded.

"Seems so." Bishop eyed the door that undoubtedly led to the place of Atmah and Hafnar's demise. His attention was drawn away from it when he felt Wyllin's arms wrap around him. Gods, he could feel her shaking. He held her close and ran his fingers through her hair in some attempt to calm her back down.

"You're with me in this, right?" Why did she even feel the need to ask that?

"Of course I am," He assured her. "You managed to drag me this far, Wyll. I'm not leaving here without you."

She managed a smile when she looked back up at him again. There wasn't much left of this place. They were in the last stretch, and they could pull through. Right..?

The familiar voice of the Dragon Priest bellowed out from just beyond the door he was locked behind and echoed around the small area.  _"Come. Face your end."_

She pushed away from Bishop and turned to face the door. When she walked up to it, she spared a glance back towards him and Karnwyr to make sure they were ready. Then she took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Admittedly, the scene before them startled her for a second. Two figures stood on stone outcrops, using some form of magic to trap the Dragon Priest in place. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that they were ghosts, undoubtedly Atmah and Hafnar. Wyllin stood there for a moment, just looking at the sight before her. "So that's how they ended up?"

"Could've been worse, I guess."

"Yeah. I think it's time to release them though. The Priest has the staff, and we're not going to get past that ward."

"Be careful. They're probably going to attack you the moment you disturb them, ladyship."

She rolled her eyes. "Tell me something I  _don't_ know." Her bow was drawn and she aimed at one of the enthralled students. The arrow was loosed and planted itself into the spirit's shoulder. That immediately had him breaking his focus on the ward. He turned in the direction the arrow shot in, but the three had already ducked out of his line of sight. She watched from their hiding spot as the mage began to search and waited for another opening. Honestly, she felt bad about what she had to do. These two were some of the mages she'd been following the story of. Still, she  _needed_ to do it, and managed to convince herself that this would be freeing them.

The ghostly mage walked down the steps and in the direction the shot had come from. His haunting voice called out to his attackers.  _"I know you're here, intruder. Show yourself."_  Yes, that was definitely the spirit of Hafnar. She recognized the voice plain as day. Though it didn't sound threatening in the slightest. In fact... He almost sounded like he was pleading.  _"Come out and face your death by my hand. Don't let him get to you first."_

The Bosmer breathed in through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. This was for his own good. She lined up another arrow as he blindly approached her. Him turned in her direction made it much easier to get a good shot. An arrow right between the eyes sent his ghostly figure fading away. Maybe it was just her going crazy, but she almost swore she picked up on him thanking her for freeing him. As she was thinking about that, Bishop took aim at the second ghost, who hadn't budged from her spot until the arrow was shot into her. The moment it hit her, her concentration had broken just like it had with Hafnar. They needed to act quick before the ward completely faded away around the Dragon Priest. Wyllin hopped on top of the pile of rubble they'd hidden behind and fired at the spirit once more.

She immediately honed in on her elven attacker and began to charge up a spell. Atmah spoke in the same tone Hafnar had done as she called out to Wyllin.  _"Do not fight this. Your death at his hand will only strengthen him!"_ She did her best to ignore Atmah's words. As she lined up another arrow, she couldn't help but mumble an apology to the spirit before firing. Just as Hafnar had done before, Atmah's form faded away. The elf could've sworn she saw the faintest of smiles coming from the Redguard as she vanished.

Just as that happened, Bishop could see something out of the corner of his eye. The ward was finally starting to fade. He immediately grabbed Wyllin and pulled her back down to where they were hiding, and not a moment too soon. Right as she was pulled down, a zap of powerful magical energy hit where she was standing just before.

She peeked out to notice the Dragon Priest standing there, holding a staff in his right hand. That had to have been what they'd gone to Labyrinthian to get. It gave off the same powerful energy as the Eye of Magnus did back at the college. Taking down this asshole to get it? That would be a piece of cake, compared to everything they'd faced in the past. Just as she was about to attack, however, their enemy began speaking in his raspy voice. Though he didn't have the same draining effect as he once did when he spoke. That'd all but vanished as time went on.

"So, the mighty  _Dovahkiin_ was sent to finish what Aren could not?" The Priest was moving as he spoke, crossing over a narrow bridge that would lead to where the enthralled mages once stood. "Are you nothing more than a  _pawn_ to these pathetic mortal kin of yours?"

"I'm no pawn," Wyllin hissed, glaring at him.

"Foolish little elf. You know in your heart that they view you as nothing more than that. You'd be  _no one_  without that title of yours."

"You're wrong!" She spoke through gritted teeth as her fingers curled into fists.

Normally, Bishop would've acted by that point. That damned Priest would've been stuck with half a quiver full of arrows, but the way he dug at Wyllin brought pause to the Nord. He'd gotten a glimpse of her insecurities back in Falkreath, but this... "Wyllin,  _don't_ listen to him. He's just trying to get in your head."

She ignored her partner and stepped out from behind the rubble. A gout of flames had begun to form in her right hand as she stared her enemy down, despite the fact she couldn't see a damn thing through the slits in his mask. "You don't know a damn thing about me."

"Are you sure about that?" He tilted his head. "Your soul and title are wasted upon you,  _Dovahkiin._  Unworthy of the blood of the  _dov._   _Hi. Los. Nid."_

That had been what sent her over the edge. She held both of her hands out and flames spewed forth from them, burning everything in their path. The Priest maintained a ward, which held up just long enough to block out her initial attack. He then aimed his staff at her and she narrowly managed to dodge the zap of white energy that came from it. Bishop joined in and fired off an arrow, which struck his target in the arm. The attack allowed Wyllin to land a hit with a firebolt and then charged towards the Priest with her blades drawn. By that point, her eyes had completely turned yellow, and her sharp teeth were bared. It was hard to fight back the beast that wanted to come out. As she was approaching, he struck her with a bolt of lightning. The zap managed to catch her before she could ward it off.

"Wyllin!" Bishop called to her as she fell to her knees, clutching her abdomen. Both of her daggers had been knocked out of her hands and skidded away from her grasp. He knew her armor was enchanted to protect her from magic, but a direct hit like that? Gods, why did she feel that was necessary? He rushed towards her as the Priest approached and managed to pull her to her feet again. She was dazed by the attack, however. There wasn't a chance that she'd be able to throw up a ward in time to block the next attack.

"It's time to face your end, little worm," The Dragon Priest rasped as he lifted the staff up and held the focus towards her. As the white sparks of energy began to form, Bishop made the split second decision to shove the still-dazed Wyllin out of the way. Before he could follow, the attack hit him dead on. He crumpled to his knees as the staff drained him of what felt like his very life force.

The suddenness of his action had Wyllin regain herself from the attack, but only to be greeted with the scene before her. Bishop was crumpled to the floor. There wasn't a chance in Oblivion that he'd manage to fend off an attack from such a godly artifact, not with his clear lack of magical knowledge. Even she would've been helpless. The state he was in...

_"FUS."_

Her Shout struck the Priest and broke his concentration. He turned to look at her. "So this pathetic little Nord chose to sacrifice himself for you? What a noble deed, but he's only delayed your inevitable fate,  _Dovahkiin."_

"I'll send you to Oblivion for that," She growled in response. Her beast was frantic. She was out for blood, and Wyllin was all too happy to let her take control. Before the Priest's eyes, she began to change form. The last thing he'd ever see was the werewolf charging at him with inhuman speed. She pounced on him, and he was soon shredded to dust.

* * *

 

Bishop woke up to find himself laying in his bedroll. His head was groggy and it felt like his entire body was in immense pain. It took a moment before he could gain the ability to sit up. From what he could make out from his foggy vision, he was still in Labyrinthian. The familiar sound of Karnwyr's snoring came from his side. He reached over and buried his hand in the wolf's fur. He stirred around a little, but didn't actually wake up.

"Bishop?" A voice mumbled softly. He turned to see Wyllin on top of a pile of rubble. Before his head was clear enough to register  _any_ of what'd gone on, she'd hopped down from her perch and dashed over to him. He was nearly forced onto his back again due to how hard she'd collided with him. Her arms wrapped themselves tightly around his neck, and her head rested against one of his shoulders. "Gods I... I thought I was going to lose you."

Lose him? What did she mean? His hands settled at her sides before he responded. "Well, you didn't. I'm still alive and kicking." With a throbbing head and a general feeling of pain all over, sure, but alive and kicking nonetheless. "What had even... Happened back there."

"You took the hit from that asshole Priest for me is what happened." She pulled her head back and he finally got a good look at her face. Her eyes were puffy and red in the way you could get them only when you cried. If her tone of voice and heavy breathing weren't enough to show just how much of a toll the events that transpired took on her, then that definitely gave it away. "He was using the staff to... Just... Drain you. It's like he was literally stealing your life force."

"I can't remember any of that."

"Well, I can, despite the fact my wolf took control!" She'd transformed as well? "Gods, that was so  _stupid_ of you to do! I don't need  _anyone_ jumping in front of my enemies attacks for me, especially when that someone is  _you."_

"First off, I was trying to get us  _both_ out of the way from what I actually  _can_  recall. Secondly, you pull dangerous shit like that all the time, ladyship. I find it kind of hypocritical that you'd so willingly throw your own life on the line, but wouldn't let someone else do it for you."

She growled at that, despite how true it might've been. "Bishop, this is different."

"Different? How the fuck is this different?!"

Her eyes were beginning to well up again, and her hands moved to cup his cheeks. He could feel her shaking. "Because, for the longest time, I couldn't hear your heartbeat. I thought you were dead."

Dead? He'd been hit  _that_ bad? Her response had left him speechless for a moment. "Wyll-"

"Don't," She interrupted. "You're here. I managed to keep you alive with what magicka reserves I had left. That's all that matters." Her arms settled around his shoulders again. "Once you get your strength back, we should get out of here."

"Sounds like a plan. I don't want to even know how long we've been down in this shithole. Feels like forever at this point. Anyway, did you get that damn staff we went through all of that bullshit to achieve?"

She nodded and moved off of him. Once she'd picked up the staff, she sat down next to him on the side Karnwyr wasn't resting by. "To think... This was once used by such a divine being..." She traced her fingers along the intricate carvings running along the shaft. "It's beautiful when it's not sucking the very life force out of you." That comment brought an awkward laugh from the Ranger. "Imagine what this thing has the ability to do. Surely it's more than that."

"I dunno, ladyship. Knowing you though, I think you'll be able to find it out easily enough, with that crazy attunement to magic you got going on."

She chuckled. "Well, my mother's one of the most powerful mages our race has to offer. It would've been weird if her abilities hadn't brushed off on her kids as well."

"Right yeah. The Altmer were even jealous of her, weren't they? Surprised they didn't try to kidnap her and do crazy experiments to see how she managed to achieve those kinds of abilities." Maybe that was a bit  _too_ morbid. The way Wyllin froze almost had him concerned, but she settled back down soon after.

"The Springlocks are too well connected with Alrandal's family, who are extremely influential by Bosmeri standards. The Dominion would be foolish to harm any of them like that, especially the family's matron. I've already told you this." Her eyes turned to the spherical focus at the top of the staff. It seemed to just float in place between the curved wooden tips that surrounded it. "I wonder how this thing is used. I feel the magicka permeating from it, but I don't know how to channel it."

"Didn't that Augur say that 'you'd know when the time came' or some vague bullshit like that? I'm pretty sure you'll figure it out by the time we get back to Winterhold."

"Yeah, guess so." She sat the staff side and looked towards Bishop. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Well enough to get out of here, if that's what you're hinting at." He managed to get himself back on his feet, and Wyllin soon followed. Once they'd gotten their gear situated, they made their way down towards what looked to be the exit.

However, just as they were about to walk up to the doors, something stopped them. Five ethereal figures appeared in front of it, and it was easy to recognize them as the group of mages they'd been following since they got to Labyrinthian, minus Savos.

Atmah approached the group with a kind smile on her face. She clasped her hands together as she looked them over.  _"We can rest now, without the presence of the Dragon Priest. Thank you, mage."_

Wyllin laughed nervously and scratched the back of her neck. What was even the appropriate response to a  _literal ghost_ thanking someone? "It's all in a day's work." Good enough.

 _"You've done us a tremendous honor by freeing us from the Priest's grasp,"_ Hafnar said.  _"And leaving this place with his staff and mask will ensure he's never able to regain his form again."_

Elvali then walked up to stand beside Atmah.  _"Return to the college and aid them, so Savos may join us in our peace. We wish you well on your journey, mage, and send you off with our blessings."_

"How did you..." They faded away before Wyllin could finish her question. She just stood there dumbfounded at what'd just happened. She glanced towards Bishop, who seemed just as confused as she was. Eventually, she decided to just accept what'd happened and continued on. It wasn't long after that they were stopped again, however. That time, it was an Altmer in all-too familiar robes.

He stood with a spell readied in his hand. "So, you made it out of there alive after all? Ancano was right in saying you're dangerous, Dragonborn. I'm afraid I'll have to take that staff from you now, however. Don't worry, we'll be keeping it... Safe, for you." There was a brief pause. "Oh, and Ancano wants you dead. Nothing personal."

Bishop was ready to tear into this asshole, but Wyllin's hesitation had him confused. Normally, she was right on board with taking out a member of the Thalmor, but she looked at this guy with an almost curious expression. Then that expression faded to realization, and then to anger.

The Bosmer growled. "I know you."

"Oh, you do?" The high elf chuckled darkly. "You're rather perceptive, I'll give you that."

"Quaranir." Her hands clenched into fists as she stared him down. "I thought the Psijics weren't fond of the Thalmor."

"Perceptive, maybe, but you lack the intuition to capitalize on that. What a shame." He shook his head. "I was never a member of the Psijic Order. Those fools disappeared over a hundred years ago, along with their entire island. Why would they come out now? Even for this magical artifact they've probably known existed since the start of their order? Are you really that daft, young mageling?"

The Augur's words echoed in Wyllin's mind when she recalled them.  _'Don't trust everything you see and hear'._  That was obvious, but what  _wasn't_ as obvious was that Quaranir - if that was even his real name - actually involved himself with the Thalmor. She bared her teeth and growled at the other elf. "You want this staff? Pry it from my dead hands!"

"With pleasure." Lightning charged up in both hands, and then he released it at her. She ducked out of the way and then dashed right towards the Thalmor, because her charging head first at an enemy wielding lightning turned out perfectly fine the last time. He wasn't as quick as the Dragon Priest, however, and didn't have the same amount of space. He didn't have enough time to charge up another spell before the spherical focus at the top of the staff collided with the side of his face and knocked him to the ground.

Wyllin then stood over the Altmer with a triumphant - and somewhat sinister - expression on her face. Well, he wanted the staff, didn't he? She then pointed it at him. "I went through  _so much shit_ to get this thing. I'm not about to let you even  _try_ to take it from me."

The high elf spat out a bit of blood as he looked up at her. "Do you even know how to use that thing? No, you have no idea of the power you're wielding, little girl! Hand it over to me, and I might be merciful when I kill you and your pathetic friends over there." As he said that, he tried to stand up, only to be knocked back down again by her in a similar fashion.

"Kill me? I think you got it the other way around, buddy." When he reached for the staff, she stepped out of his reach. As she stared down the Thalmor, it felt as though something had begun to overcome her. The blue orb on the staff began to spin around, and suddenly produced white sparks of energy. Quaranir's eyes widened, and he then cried out in pain as a beam of white light struck him. Wyllin could barely hold onto the staff as the energy from it consumed her opponent. It wasn't long before the high elf's body crumpled to the floor and he drew his last breath.

"That was... Crazy," The Nord behind her commented, which had her turning around to face him. Was that what had happened to him when he took that blow for her? Gods... No wonder she was freaking out.

"Yeah, it just came to me out of nowhere. I guess it felt that now was the time to... Understand how to use it, I guess?" She looked over the artifact in her hands. "I feel empowered. Like whatever it'd drained from that Thalmor was given to me."

"I'm guessing that's what that Priest meant when he was going on about your power being used to strengthen him."

"Guess so." Her eyes turned to the dead Altmer, and she paused for a few seconds. The staff was leaned against a nearby table, and then the straps of her bag were shrugged off her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Bishop asked as he examined the Bosmer. The glint of dwarven metal gave him the answer. He then groaned and turned away. "Oh come on. Not this shit again. Do you  _have_  to do this?"

"Yes," She responded as she jabbed the needle of the extractor into the Thalmor's neck and slowly pulled blood from it. Two of the five down. When the device was thrown back into her bag, she looked towards her partner. "It's done. Of all the things for you to be squeamish over, I never thought it'd be me extracting blood from corpses. You do realize I've done a  _lot_ worse when my village still followed older customs of the Green Pact, right?"

"I  _really_ don't want to know about that right now, ladyship. Let's just go. I think there's some kind of exit ahead."

"Alright, alright. Fine." She rolled her eyes and grabbed the staff. Once it was slid into a small loop that was typically meant for holding torches on her bag, she started moving again. Bishop and Karnwyr followed behind her, and all three of them were relieved when they finally found their way out of the tomb. After climbing the ladder and managing to get Karnwyr up it as well, the rush of Skyrim's nighttime winds hit them. Wyllin paused and took a deep breath in. "Thank the Gods... We're finally out of that damned place."

"Yeah. Felt like I was suffocating in there. Y'know, I think we need a  _long_ break from ruin delving."

"That's one of the best ideas you've had in a while. Those seem to be lacking lately."

He looked over at her with a frown on his face. "That's pretty hilarious, coming from you, princess."

She shifted her eyes over towards him and gave him a subtle smirk. Then she turned her attention back towards the wilds of Skyrim. "I could go for a bit of hunting. Some fresh meat would be nice, don'cha think?"

"Mhmm. Want to make another bet on who can track down dinner first? We both know how that went last time."

"Ugh. We haven't even been out of that damned place for  _five minutes_ Bishop!"

He raised his hands in mock defeat and took a step away from her. "It was just a suggestion!"

"Yeah, alright." She shook her head. "Well, let's save those bets for later. I just want to find a meal and set up camp. We've got a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

 

They'd settled down by the campfire to eat a few hours after getting out of Labyrinthian. Wyllin had managed to track down a bear with Bishop's help. It was a process to actually dress, skin, and cut up, but they'd managed. Despite how tired she was, it was clear the little Bosmer was still as restless as ever, though it was for somewhat different reasons than before. As she chewed away at her meal, her eyes fell to the mask she'd pulled from the dust left behind by the Dragon Priest, which was attached to the outside of her bag.

"Something wrong?" Bishop asked when he finally noticed the look on her face.

She sighed and sat her bowl aside, and then grabbed the mask. Oddly enough, she hadn't really looked it over all that much. On the back of it, something was written in the Dragon Tongue. Her knowledge of it had expanded just enough for her to translate it. She traced her fingers along the words as she did her best to read them over. "Moro...kei? Morokei."

The Ranger gave her a confused look. "What?"

"That's the name of the Dragon Priest we fought. They all have names and special masks tied to them. I fought a few before. One named Hevnoraak when I was out tracking down Word Walls, and another named Nahkriin at Skuldafn..." She trailed off. Neither of the others she faced were like Morokei, however. He'd dug into Wyllin's skin in a special kind of way during their battle. It was at that point where the memories of her conversation with him started to flood back... And began to eat away at her in the way they did before.

Clearly  _something_ was wrong. After all the time he spent traveling with her, he knew this wasn't normal behavior. "Please tell me you're not letting that bastard get to you."

She glanced over at him when he asked that. "No. I'm fine."

He frowned. "Don't lie to me. You're thinking about all the shit that Dragon Priest said, aren't you?" The sigh she responded him was enough confirmation. "Gods, he was just trying to get inside your head and make it easier for him to take you down. I guess he figured nothing else could even his odds against the mighty Dragonborn."

"Dragonborn... Yeah." She sat the mask aside. "I just... Can't help but wonder if that's the  _only_ thing I am to people anymore."

"What?"

"After I'd finally completely accepted my title... I was so sure of myself. I felt I was given a purpose in this world, which I'd lacked for years."

"You've told me this already."

"Yeah, I know, but that was then..."

"And how has anything changed?"

"I feel like I'm  _only_ my title to others now. I'm not Wyllin Springlock anymore. I'm not the Harbinger of the Companions, or even just a Bosmer from Valenwood. I'm now only known as the Dragonborn." She laughed almost bitterly. "Hilarious, when I think about it. I get all this attention but... I can't help but wonder if anyone would've  _ever_ been interested in me if I wasn't Skyrim's savior."

"Wyll-"

"And what if Morokei was right? What if people only want to use me as some pawn - a means to an end? Do I just... Not matter as a person anymore? Am I even  _viewed_ as a person anymore? Sure, I can get all the respect and praise in the world... But it just feels hollow when it's my title they're honoring, while completely casting aside the living, breathing,  _elven being_ having to deal with the weight of it. Gods, why did it have-"

 _"Wyllin Springlock!"_  He interrupted her tangent, and his use of her full name caught her off guard. Had he ever actually done that before? "Don't go jumping to those kinds of stupid conclusions. You know that's not true. Not for everyone."

"And how am I supposed to believe that? Everyone is so  _obsessed_ with me being this great hero. They all hold me up on this stupid pedestal I  _never_ asked for. I'd rather take no purpose over just... Being consumed by this stupid title, even if no one gave a damn about me because of that."

He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Yes! People are stupid, shallow individuals. They'll take everything at face value and never look deeper than that. I know this. Fuck you were the first person in forever whose actually seen more to me than some asshole Ranger with a pet wolf and I..." He paused and looked down. Was he actually... Scared of making eye contact with her? No, that wasn't like him. "I couldn't thank you enough for that."

Her eyes widened slightly. That was  _definitely_ new. "Bishop..." Whatever she was about to say was cut off when he quickly raised his hand to stop her so he could continue.

"Gods... How long has it been since we met? Four... Maybe five months at most? Sure feels like a fuck of a lot longer with how much shit we've been through." He sighed and turned his head towards her again. "I've never let someone as close to me as I've done with you, Wyllin. Don't let those other assholes bring you down. You're more than your title. You're a  _lot_ more than that, and I... I love you." Sure, he'd said those words before on multiple occasions, but they'd never sounded or felt as  _real_  as it did in that moment. It left her damn near speechless, which had him giving some type of half-hearted laugh. "What's wrong? Sabre cat got your tongue?"

If it were due to any other circumstances, the shocked expression on her face would've been somewhat comical. Though, given their situation at that time, he couldn't bring himself to think of it in that way. Finally, things had begun to process, and she managed to bring herself back to reality. She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. One of his own settled around her shoulders, and he leaned his head against the top of hers. "I love you too." For the second time that night, she found herself starting to cry, though it was for much better reasons than the last time.

He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped both of his arms around her. She'd buried her face into his shoulder and held onto him pretty damn tightly. "You're going to start cutting off my air supply at this rate."

"Right, yeah," She awkwardly laughed as she pulled back. Despite the wetness on her cheeks, she was at least genuinely smiling after all of that. She moved to wrap her arms around his neck. One hand found its way to his hair, and she gently stroke through it as she leaned in and kissed him. He seemed rather appreciative of the more tender moment, and was pretty surprised when he felt her grip onto the front of his jacket to pull him closer. When she began to mess with one of the straps, he placed a hand over hers, which had her pulling back and giving him a curious expression.

"Shouldn't we finish eating?" He was really willing to wait? Where was the Bishop she knew? What had this asshole done with him?

She sighed and shook her head. Then a smirk began to play at her lips, which was followed by a twinkle of mischief in her bright green eyes. "I think you could use a reminding of just  _how much_ I love you, my prince." That damn sultry tone she pulled off got to him every time.

"Well, when you put it that way... Who am I to argue?" The hand was removed, and he allowed her to continue. Sure, the both of them were covered in sweat and tomb dust, but he could appreciate this side of her no matter what.


	39. Crossing Paths

Wyllin was in a much better mood than she had been the night before. Maybe life wasn't all sunshine and daisies, but the stress from Labyrinthian was slowly fading away, and only continued to do so as the journey went on. With the Staff of Magnus finally in her possession, she felt ready to actually take on Ancano and put an end to whatever he was doing. There were times Bishop could hardly keep up with her pace.

They'd only stopped in Whiterun for a couple of hours to pick up a few supplies and check up on the Companions. It seemed as though something had been delivered to them in her absence, however.

"Delphine sent this?" The elf asked as she was handed a sealed letter.

"Yep," Aela responded. "The courier arrived maybe two or three days back after he couldn't personally find you. Just what in Hircine's name have you been getting up to, Harbinger? And what's that thing on your back?"

She glanced back at what Aela was looking at. Right, the staff. "It's ahh... Something important that I need to deliver. Don't worry about it."

"Okay then..." The Nord woman simply shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you better go see what that woman wants eventually. She doesn't seem like the type to enjoy waiting around from what I've seen of her."

"Not in the slightest. I'll get to her first thing once I'm done with what I need to do." Wyllin placed the letter in her side pouch, and then looked around. "So, how has everything been going?"

"About as well as it could be. We've come across a few more of the Silver Hand while out dealing with contracts. Seems like there's no end to these little fleas."

"Yeah. I'm surprised they've lasted this long. Well, maybe we can come up with some kind of plan the next time I'm able to spend more than a few hours in Whiterun." Her eyes shifted over to Bishop, who was very clearly unnerved. "By the way, I should probably tell you something..."

"He knows, doesn't he?" Aela crossed her arms as she observed him. "I figured as much from those scars he's sporting now, but I got the feeling it wasn't a good idea to ask the last time we'd spoken."

"Yeah, it's a long story. He knows about the Companions too." She sighed and scratched at her neck. "I kind of owed him some answers about my past after giving those things to him."

"Not a problem, Shield-Sister. He doesn't exactly look like the type to give us trouble over it, especially when he's got you keeping him as controlled as you're able to." The two laughed. "Anyways, if that thing you're doing with that staff is as important as it seems to be, we shouldn't be keeping you any longer. Good to know you're still alive and kicking at least."

"There isn't much that'll be able to bring me down. I think you know that by now." She gave her fellow Companion a wolfish grin, and it was returned in kind. "I really should get going though. I just wanted to check in and make sure things are alright."

"Always a pleasure." With that, Aela turned and headed off.

Wyllin then got Bishop's attention, and the two of them left Jorrvaskr with Karnwyr padding along behind them. "Looks like Delphine's got something in store for me."

Her partner glanced towards her and raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"I don't know, but she sent this out to me." The elf produced the sealed letter. "Must be important if she chose to hand something like this over to a courier. She's so crazily paranoid." As they continued, she cracked the seal and opened up the letter. Her lips were pursed together as she read it over. "Looks like she discovered a few people who could be useful to the Blades. Former members, no doubt. Doesn't say who though, which I kind of expected."

"Yeah, sounds like her. I'm guessing Sky Haven's next after this shit with Winterhold and the staff?"

"Well, it's not like I can just ignore this." The parchment was folded and placed back in her pouch. "There really is no rest for the wicked, huh?"

"Not when that 'wicked' is someone so hellbent on helping every poor sod she meets. That mentality is gonna land you in hot water someday, princess."

"Hey now." She stepped in front of him, which forced him to stop walking. A finger was then brought up and pointed at him. "In case you've forgotten, my helpful mentality is what brought us together in the first place. I don't think it's as bad as you like to make it out to be."

He laughed and shook his head. "I guess you're right about that. Though even I could've been bad news for you. You could've very well just been a helpless little girl caught in the clutches of a big, bad wolf." He held out his hand to brush his fingers against her one cheek, only to have her grab onto it.

"Is that what you thought of me, hmm? I guess you were right to be surprised when this 'helpless little girl' turned out to be a mighty Dragonslayer, yeah?"

"Tch. Dragonslayer or not, you still played a dangerous game with me."

"Mhmm, and here you are, wrapped around my fingers."

That had him groaning. "Gods, woman... I think you know I'm  _far_ from that."

"Keep believing that if you want. Just know that 'believing' doesn't make something true." She chuckled and turned away from him. "Come on. We've wasted enough time. I've got the entirety of Skyrim to save... Again."

* * *

 

A few days later, they stood in front of a terrifying sight. The entirety of the college was engulfed in Ancano's ward, and it'd spread even further since the last time Wyllin had seen it. The staff was pulled from the loop on her bag, and she clutched it tightly in her hands. Her gaze then shifted towards Bishop. "You ready?"

"About as ready as I'll ever be." He looked back at her and raised an eyebrow. "Kiss for good luck?" That question had her softly giggling. She freed her one hand and pulled him down by the front of his shirt and pecked his lips. When he was released again, he furrowed his brow. "Really? That's all?"

"You'll get more after we're done with this. Consider it incentive to stay alive."

"I guess that's enough to get me to do so."

"Good. Now, come on, before this gets any worse." She turned and started a brisk jog towards the college. Bishop and Karnwyr did their best to follow behind. She didn't stop until they reached the start of the bridge, where Tolfdir and Faralda stood. "Professors!"

They immediately looked towards her, and Tolfdir spoke first. "Dragonborn! You're back! Not a moment too soon either. Is that the Staff of Magnus?"

"The one and only."

"Well done," Faralda complimented. "Hopefully you know how to use it then. We need to get past this ward as soon as possible."

"Yeah. I think I got this down. Where's Mirabelle?"

"She barely made it out while assuring everyone else had gotten out of the college safely," Tolfdir replied. "We got her to the Frozen Hearth, where she's being cared for by Professor Colette."

"Good. Hopefully she makes it. We'd better hurry and sort out Ancano." She then looked over at Bishop. "Listen, I-"

"You're not going to make me wait here, ladyship."

"With all due respect, you don't know the first thing about magic. I don't need you getting hurt. Not after Morokei-"

"I will be  _fine,"_ He insisted. "We're facing this bastard together, whether you like it or not." That had Wyllin frowning heavily. Of course she had to choose the only damn person in  _all_ of Nirn who could match her stubbornness as a partner.

"Dragonborn, we should go," Tolfdir urged.

She looked back towards the professors. "Right. Fine. Let's go." She took the lead. Karnwyr had been told to wait, but Bishop did follow behind, along with the two mages. Her grip on the staff tightened as her gaze fixed itself onto the ward. The staff could drain magical energy. It was the perfect weapon against this obstacle before her. She held it out in front of her, and the magical energies began rush to the focus, which spun around as it'd done back in Labyrinthian. A beam of light sprung forth and collided violently with the magical barrier.

While the others stepped back, the elf maintained her ground, keeping her focus on the ward. Slowly but surely, it began to weaken, and its magical energies were absorbed into the staff, and then into her. Admittedly the rush went from powerful to moderately painful. She was adept at magic, but by no means capable of handling  _this_ much coursing through her all at once. Still, she held on until the ward was completely gone. Afterwards, she motioned for everyone to follow her and continued on towards the college and into the Hall of the Elements.

Ancano spotted them the moment they walked in. "You come this far, have you? Pathetic weaklings! You think I can't  _destroy_ you?"

"Your crazed power fantasy ends here, Ancano!" Wyllin called out.

"Bah! Even you will fall to me, Dragonborn!" He began to cast something into the Eye... Or maybe he was absorbing something? It was hard to tell. "I have the power to unmake the world at the tips of my fingers, and you think you can do anything about it?!"

"I know I can." She pointed the staff at him.

"Even that staff can't help you, worm!" He pulled back from the eye, with white energy coursing from the tips of his fingers up to his elbows. "You were better off accepting your defeat at the hands of Estormo! I won't go easy on you!" With that, he unleashed the power he was holding onto. Tolfdir immediately jumped in and threw up as powerful of a ward as he could manage, and that was just barely enough to block the attack.

"He draws his power from the Eye! Try to cut off his connection to it with the staff."

Wyllin nodded, and then rushed in. A fireball was released towards Ancano, which forced him to stagger backwards, though it had little effect otherwise. Then she honed the staff in on the Eye. Meanwhile, Bishop and the two mages who followed her in did their best to distract the Justicar. It wasn't much use. He was able to deflect both normal and magical attacks with little difficulty. His attention remained on the Bosmer, who he unleashed another attack against. She noticed and was just quick enough to block it off with her cloak. Damn. She was lucky that it didn't burn a hole right through it. Enchanted dragon hide was pretty sturdy stuff.

"I'll take you down, dog!" He roared. Though the magic he'd gathered from the Eye was clearly waning. He'd need to get back to it somehow. He used what remaining power he'd gathered to splay out a large wall of white energy on the ground. Everyone was forced to abandon what they were doing to get out of the way, Wyllin included.

She tripped as she tried to dash away from the attack and fell onto the ground. Her grip on the staff was lost, and it clattered on the floor nearby, just out of her reach. When she tried to grab hold of it again, a burst of magical energy struck her, which had her yelping in pain and curling up. Ancano had made his way over and scooped the staff up off the floor.

"Well, well. What have we here?" He grinned. "This power..." As he looked over the staff, Bishop started to run towards the two in hopes to at  _least_ get Wyllin away from him. The moment he noticed, however, he unleashed a wall of force that the Nord collided head first with. He was thrown back into Tolfdir and Faralda, who at least managed to cushion his fall. "I've had enough of your friends, Dragonborn. This battle is between just you and me." She simply growled in response, but winced when he slammed the bottom of the staff onto the ground by her head.

A spell was casted over the entire room, causing everyone but Ancano and Wyllin to freeze in place. This was the same one Quaranir - or, well,  _Estormo_ \- had used to speak with the latter privately back in the Archmage's quarters.

"I really must thank you, Dragonborn. Without your dedication to locating this wondrous artifact, it would've never fallen into my possession." He glanced towards Bishop, who'd barely managed to recover from the blow he'd taken when the spell had been casted. "I overheard you arguing with that Nord friend of yours about how you could never say no to helping someone out. Perhaps you should have listened to him, hmm? He's rather bright for a...  _Human."_

Wyllin tried to reach for one of Ancano's legs to drag him down with her. He'd moved out of the way before she could, however. Damnit. She slammed one of her fists on the ground. "You leave him out of this!"

"Hmm? You have quite a bit of fire to you when you speak about him..." He tilted his head to the side. "Ahh... I see now. Love... Between a Bosmer and a Nord. Disgusting." The staff was held towards Bishop, who was frozen in time and completely unable to block whatever Ancano was about to do. "Perhaps I should take him out first. Rid this world if his filth."

 _No._ Wyllin snarled at him in a completely unnatural way. She could feel her wolf beginning to stir again, like it had in Labyrinthian. Settle down, girl. Now was not the time. Being out of control of her actions would only make the situation worse. From the one hand not clutching at her injury, she summoned forth a burst of lightning. It crackled at Ancano's feet, forcing him to stumble backwards. That gave her enough time to get back up. "Touch him and I'll make you regret being born."

"You really shouldn't flaunt a weakness of yours so freely, Dragonborn. It'll only hurt you in the end!" He aimed the staff at the Eye of Magnus. "In fact, it'd be smart of you to never have these weaknesses to begin with."

She wasn't about to take any of this. _"FO."_  An icy blizzard shot forth at Ancano, which he deflected easily. What he  _couldn't_ deflect was the elf who charged at him right after. She knocked him down and landed right on top of him. As they struggled for the staff, he reached out his one hand and began to cast a lightning spell, only to have her grab his wrist. It came in direct contact with the fire spell she'd charged up. He cried out in pain as he felt the sting of it through his clothing.

"Little bark-chewer. You'll pay for that!" Sadly enough, he hadn't realized her attack was only a diversion until he realized he'd grabbed his wrist with an... Empty hand. Where in Oblivion was the... He looked to find her back on her feet with the staff once again in her possession. She seemed determined to not let it go again.

"Try me, piss-skin!" She shot back. When he tried to get back up, she struck him over the head with the focus-end of the staff and then backed up, which had her nearing the Eye. As Ancano recovered, she couldn't help but turn to it. Something was calling out to her. She glanced towards the staff, and then held it towards the Eye. A connection was made between the two with the familiar white energy both emitted.

"What are you doing, worm!" Ancano hissed as he made another attempt at standing. The blow was severe enough to disorientate him.

She never responded to him. Instead, her focus was purely on the connection, which grew stronger with each passing second. It seemed like the perfect opening to strike her down, but before he could, a flash of bright light overcame the entire room. When it cleared away, the Eye of Magnus was gone completely.

The Thalmor stared at the spot it was, eyes widened. "What in the Gods' names have you  _done?!"_  He then looked towards Wyllin. She didn't need to speak any words. His question was answered the moment he got a good look at the staff. The spherical focus had changed completely. It sported the intricate details the Eye had held. Had she... Fused the two together? How was that possible?

She held the newly transformed staff towards him, and it began to shift around, opening to reveal the Eye's core. Fuck. It was so damn  _satisfying_ to see how that once-haughty Altmer trembled in his pointed boots. She could watch it all day. Before he had a chance to speak again, she unleashed a powerful beam at him. He wailed in pain as his entire body was ripped to pieces by the attack. Once he was gone, the spell he had casted over the entire Hall faded away, allowing the others the ability to move around again.

"Wyllin?" Bishop called the wood elf, who was still staring at the pile of ash that was once Ancano. "Are you okay?"

She looked towards him and nodded. "Yeah... Can't say the same for Ancano though."

Tolfdir and Faralda looked around at the scene. The latter then spoke up. "What happened to the Eye?"

"Oh, um..." She held up the staff to reveal what had happened to it. "This..."

The elderly Alteration master walked up to her and examined the staff. "Well, this is certainly something. Then again, the Staff of Magnus was designed to house Magnus' power. Perhaps this is its way of doing it. Marvelous." As he looked over the artifact, three figures appeared in the room. Wyllin immediately narrowed her eyes at them.

"Well done, mage," One of them said with a smile adorning his face, which only brought a sneer from her. "We knew you had the ability to succeed." He stepped forward, which had her stepping back. Either he was oblivious or chose to not notice. "The Eye has grown unstable, despite the fact it's contained within the staff. It would be best that my brethren and I secure it before something drastic happens." He held out his hand. "I assure you we are more than capable of safeguarding it until the world is ready for such an artifact of immense power. Now, if you would hand it over please." A few seconds passed with the Bosmer only staring at him, and he began to grow impatient and took a step forward. "Dragonborn, please."

She immediately backed up and pointed the focus at him. "Stay away from me!" Her aggressive reaction brought confused looks to everyone's faces, save for the only other one who knew the reason behind it. "I'm not going to fall for your lies. I  _know_ who you are."

The 'monk' who had attempted to take the staff from her frowned. "So it is true then, what happened to Estormo. No wonder he hadn't shown back up after leaving to take care of you in Labyrinthian. It seems you have found things out about us during your encounter with him as well. The fool..."

"What's going on?" Tolfdir asked as he looked around. The monks all had their attention turned to the wielder of the staff. "What's happening here? Wyllin, could you-"

"Silence!" The impostor demanded. He glared towards Tolfdir, who was quick to do what he asked. Then his gaze settled back on the wood elf in front of him. "You'll regret disobeying us, little Bosmer."

"You'll regret trying to fool me."

That had the Thalmor growling and he charged up a lightning spell in both hands. Damn high elves and their damn lightning. Wyllin wasn't about to let that shit touch her again. She focused the staff's power again, allowing the Eye now adorning the top of it to open. Just as her opponent released his magic, the energy from the staff shot forth at him, completely blowing past his spell and hitting him square in the chest. The other two watched in slight horror as he was consumed just the way Ancano was. Before they could react, she turned the staff's power on them and sent a wall of its magical energy in their direction. It struck them dead on and knocked them to the ground. Finishing them off was child's play after.

"What in Oblivion..?" Faralda mumbled.

"They weren't Psijics," Wyllin responded as the staff's new focus closed. "The Thalmor must've saw an opportunity to try and take this power for themselves and used the good name of the Order as a means of gaining our trust. They probably even predicted what would happen to Ancano in the end. I don't know. It'd explain a lot though."

"The plan sounds pretty elaborate," Tolfdir commented as he scratched his head. "Though if that was the case, they would've had to have known beforehand of the power located within Saarthal."

"They probably did. Ancano might've been an asshole, but he wasn't stupid, and probably only played ignorant to have the college do all the dirty work." She shook her head. "Whatever, it's done now, and the Thalmor better think twice about trying to bother the college again."

Faralda nodded. "Well, it's good that you've found out about them in advance. The Thalmor getting their hands on such an artifact would've been... Troubling."

"Mhmm." She looked towards Tolfdir. "I think this should be left in the college for now. I'd take it with me, but I'd rather it not fall into the wrong hands, and the Thalmor weren't lying about how unstable it is."

The professor took the staff when it was offered to him. "We'll make sure to keep it secure here, Dragonborn. You've done us a great service, and the college will never be able to thank you enough. There is one more matter that must be attended to before you go, however... If you don't mind helping us decide."

"What?"

"With Savos now gone, we will need a new Archmage. I don't expect you to stay here and pick up where he left off, but it would be nice to get your input on who would be a good successor."

Wyllin chuckled. "Well, that should be obvious. Mirabelle is still alive, right? She should be the one to take over, and you should take her place as Master Wizard."

Tolfdir thought on her suggestion and nodded. "Mirabelle would make a fine Archmage, yes. Though I'll need to speak with her on the matter. She still needs time to recover before such responsibilities are foisted onto her shoulders. Regardless, I thank you again for your assistance with the Eye. You didn't have to stay here and aid us after discovering it."

"Helping people is just what she does," Bishop mumbled. His partner could practically  _hear_ him rolling his eyes through his words alone.

She chose to ignore the tone he used. "Yeah, exactly."

"You're welcome back here at any time, should you wish to continue your studies. You're a rather gifted mage, miss Springlock." He then furrowed his brow as he thought of something. "Actually, now that I think about it, that last name sounds familiar. Are you perhaps related to Riandriah Springlock at all?"

She blinked a few times, and then gave a questioning tilt of her head. "You know my mother?"

"Of course. Err... Well, I know  _of_ her. She's a special sort among Bosmer, and relatively famous among scholars of magic. Not many of your kind are gifted in the arcane in the way she is. No wonder you excel here."

Wyllin laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, s'pose so."

"Well, I won't keep you any longer. Have a good evening."

"You too,  _Master Wizard."_ That brought a chuckle from Tolfdir. She smiled in return and then made her way towards Bishop. As the two professors headed out the door, she spoke again. "Well, seems like people  _do_ know more about me than just my title. I know my mother's somewhat famous back in Valenwood, but for talk of her to travel all the way to Skyrim?"

"Famous, hmm? So I've been wandering around this frozen wasteland with the daughter of a celebrity... Who is something of a celebrity herself? Great." Bishop crossed his arms and shook his head. "This has been an interesting journey all around, and I learned something about your family. You never really seem to talk about them."

"Well, you never really talk about yours either."

"I have my reasons for that, princess." At least  _she_ was still in good standing with her parents. "Anyways, I'm ready to get out of this place and maybe get a few drinks down at the inn. Care to join me?"

"Ah... Actually, you go on ahead if you want. I still have a couple of more things to do around here."

"Sure. Whatever." He shrugged. "See you later then. Oh, and make sure to get our pay or whatever that Savos promised us at the beginning. I think we've earned it."

"Haven't forgotten about that, have you?"

"No. We busted our asses back in Labyrinthian, and you didn't even decide to keep that staff we worked so damn hard to get. We deserve  _something,_ you know."

"That staff was way too unstable for me to keep when it has the Eye fused with it now... But yeah, fair enough. I'll talk to Tolfdir about it." She watched as he then walked off. As he did, a few members of the college entered. They must've thought it was safe to come back, and it pretty much was. One of them happened to be Urag as well, good. She pulled the spell book she'd gotten from Labyrinthian out of her bag and walked up to him.

* * *

 

As Wyllin did whatever she was going to do up at the college, Bishop headed out. Faralda had apparently decided to check on Mirabelle, and offered to guide him down due to the heavy winds that were beginning to pick up. Any of the mages could've easily managed to block them off, but he wasn't exactly a mage. Once he was down at the bottom, an excited Karnwyr greeted him by nearly tackling him to the ground. Faralda chuckled and said her goodbyes before heading off, leaving the two wolves to wrestle a bit on the ground.

After getting his brother's meal squared away, the Ranger was finally able to settle down at the bar in the Frozen Hearth. There was a few murmurings related to the college.

_"Things have been crazy over there. I hope that girl with the staff was able to sort it out."_

_"Yeah, I was worried the entire city was going to be engulfed by that ward. What had even happened?"_

_"Damn mages should be driven outta here, if yah ask me. Let 'em go wreck someone else's city."_

_"Yeah, there ain't nothin' good 'bout the lot of 'em."_

He sort of just allowed the idle chatter fade into background noise. He was just  _done_ with mage-y business for a good while, and was pretty damn ready to enjoy the next few days of peace until they had to head back off to Sky Haven Temple and speak with Delphine. Given how well he managed to tune the world out, he hadn't really noticed when someone sat down beside him. When he finally did, he pretty much just assumed it was Wyllin. "Finally done with whatever you still had to do in that college?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." That voice had his eyes widen. It'd been years, but he still remembered it. Fuck, he could remember it until the end of time. "I assume you've mistaken me for that little elf you've been trailing behind for the past while. Another heart you're looking to break, I presume?"

He slowly turned his head towards the woman who'd sat down next to him. She'd pulled down her cloak's fur hood to reveal her face. Ice blue eyes and raven black hair. That unmistakable scar running along the lower part of her left cheek was in clear view from where he was sitting. Yes, this was  _definitely_ who he thought this was. A scowl formed across his face as she smirked at him. "Laurissa."

By the Divines. What did this bitch want?


	40. Laurissa

Bishop's hands tightened around the mug he'd been holding onto as he stared down the Imperial next to him. "Where the hell did you come from? What are you doing here?"

"Ooh, still so hostile after all this time?" Laurissa leaned her arms against the bartop. "I'm guessing you haven't changed a bit since we've last met."

"That's none of your fucking business. I thought I made it pretty clear that I didn't want you around anymore. Why are you even here?"

She only seemed to grow more amused with every bitter word he spoke. "Actually, running into you was simply a coincidence. I'm here on business, though it seems the one I'm supposed to be speaking with is busy with other matters currently. Then in trots the unmistakable Ranger I'd had the pleasure of knowing some time ago. How long has it been? Three or four years now, I think."

"Not long enough. That's for damn sure."

His words apparently went ignored as she continued on. "You know, I've heard a lot about you in that time. You might think nothing you do goes notice, but I've always known the right places to look when I want information. It's a specialty of mine, in case you've forgotten. You've quite the history to you,  _Thrice-Banished."_ How in the ever-loving fuck was she able to find out about  _that?_  "Now, imagine my surprise when I also find out you've managed to capture the Dragonborn in those merciless claws of yours. Poor thing. She doesn't even know what she's gotten herself into, does she?"

"You leave her out of this."

Laurissa raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You almost sound protective over her, but that doesn't sound like the Bishop I know."

"The Bishop you apparently 'know' is long gone, flea," He growled as he turned to completely face her. Amber eyes stared her down with a deep-rooted hatred, but she didn't react in any kind of way. "Now, get out of here before I make you regret sparking up this little conversation in the first place."

She smirked at him, almost triumphantly. "Ahh, there he is. That violent side to you was still in there somewhere. Men like you never change."

"You don't know a damn thing about if or how I've changed."

"I've dealt with enough of your type to get a good idea. There's no way in Oblivion even someone such as a Nordic hero of song and legend would be able to completely tame a wild animal like yourself, Bosmer or not. Such a shame though. She's a beautiful little creature, and yet she's fallen for someone like you? How long will it be until she's realized just what kind of mistake she's made? How long before that innocent heart of hers is torn to shreds by the very beast she's dared to let so close to her?"

"I already told you to leave her out of this." Gods above. Just when he thought he'd gotten shit back on track, something new had to come along. Why did it have to be  _her_ though? "And don't feign concern over her either. Your heart's cold and dead and has no room for compassion, and it's been like that even before we met."

She placed a hand against her chest. "Ouch, Bishop..." And then she chuckled. "Though I suppose you're right, but you can't deny that you've had  _some_ role in that, after everything you did to me back then. Even Mephala herself would shudder at the lies you've spun and the secrets you hide away."

"Get out of here. I'm done talking."

"But I'm not done talking to you, and I think you know by now that I always get what I want."

He sneered, placed down the gold for his drink, and then stood up. "You might be used to having it your way with others, but you'll find no such luxury here. Not anymore,  _especially_ with what I now know about you." His fingernails dug into the wooden bartop as he stared the devilish little Imperial down. "Stay out of my life, flea. You've ruined it enough as it is." With that, he turned around and began to walk away.

"Still have that fire, Bishop? That anger you've tried so hard to control all your life?" Laurissa chuckled. "I wonder how long it'll be until that's turned on someone you apparently care for. As if you  _could_ care at all." He did his best to ignore her as he made his way towards the door.

Apparently, Wyllin had finished up what she was doing and nearly swung the door right in his face when she opened it. She seemed a bit too preoccupied with ordering her bag to notice at first. "Well, we're not going to be worry about this place for a while. I actually did get some form of payment for us too..." She trailed off when she finally realized what had happened. "Um... Are you alright? Did I catch you with that door?"

He sighed and shook his head, before making some attempt to put on a brave face. "Nope. All good, princess. You know, I'm really getting sick of this hold in general. Think we could get a head start out of here and set up camp further down south?"

She went from concerned to slightly confused. "I... Uh... Sure? I thought you wanted some drinks."

"Too much talk about the college here right now. Just keeps reminding me of the shitshow that's been the past... Month, it feels like. Come on." He grabbed her arm and guided her back outside. Yeah, no, something was  _extremely_ wrong. "Figured you'd be more on board with the idea of camping out." As he was about to head down the steps, Wyllin freed herself, stood in front of him, and held her arms out to completely block his ability to continue.

"What. Is. Wrong?" She asked, glaring up at him.

"Like I said before, there's just too much going on in there. I figured it was best to get away from people for a while." More like get away from a  _specific_ person  _forever,_ but he had the aching feeling that wasn't going to be the case. Laurissa was the most persistent individual in the world, even more so than Wyllin. Though, unlike the almighty Dragonborn before him, it was in the worst ways possible.

She spent a good few seconds just trying to stare him down and get him to cough up whatever he was so frantic about. His reaction to whatever had gone on inside was worse than how he was in Falkreath back when Thorn was alive. He wasn't going to crack though, and she knew that, but she wasn't about to forget how he was acting. For the time being, she just pushed it all aside and took a deep breath. "Fine. Let's go, but you owe me a few drinks when we actually get back to some form of civilized society."

"I can do that." He wrapped an arm around her when she turned to face the street again. She was quickly led from the inn and down the path. Karnwyr had peeked his head out from the area he'd cozied up in and immediately darted towards them when he heard his name called.

* * *

 

Something was clearly up. While Wyllin had settled down significantly after everything had passed, Bishop had become more restless. She couldn't think of a reason why. He was just fine when she saw him leave the college, and she  _highly_ doubted all the activity inside the tavern was what got to him. He knew the excuse was piss poor as well. Still, the elf was careful, and didn't bring up what happened back there for the rest of the night. Instead, she decided to finish off what she had been saying about their payment, and the two just settled back into their normal routine.

The night out in the wilds and subsequent trip south were both almost completely uneventful. A few bandits had decided to try their luck and quickly regretted it. One of the ones they took out had turned out to be an Orsimer, which Wyllin decided to use her extractor on. Honestly, the reactions she got from Bishop whenever she took it out were amusing to no end. The knowledge in the fact she only had two more samples to collect did little to comfort him.

Wyllin was eager to get back to Falkreath and check in on her brother, who never sent word to her after she'd wrote to him about staying up in Winterhold. So it was decided that they'd travel through to there first and then head off towards the Reach after. As they walked up to the entrance of Lakeview, they were greeted by two people just outside the door. It was Rayya and the maid Wyllin had hired to help with the upkeep, Iddari. There was a brief conversation between the three, which Bishop hardly paid attention to. At one point, it was mentioned that Valdras was still hanging around. After that, Wyllin thanked them and gestured for Bishop and Karnwyr to follow her inside.

"Finally back?" Her brother asked when they entered, not bothering to look up from whatever he was doing at the dining table. Bishop quickly recognized the tools, which were similar to the ones his partner used whenever she was carving or making arrows. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd gotten encased in ice or something up there."

"Well, it's not like  _you_ tried contacting us," Wyllin grumbled as she pulled off her cloak and moved to sit down by her brother, who was just chuckling as he fiddled with an arrowhead he'd just carved. "So, how has Falkreath been treating you?"

Valdras shrugged and then sat the arrowhead down. "It's no Grahtwood, but I definitely didn't expect a place like this to be located so far up north. You don't hear much about these parts of Skyrim back home."

She laughed and nodded. "I half expected it to be nothing but snow and ice as well. Imagine my surprise when I first got through the border and found... Actual life. I chose to buy a house in Falkreath for a reason though. This is the closest you get to the forests of Valenwood here."

"Undoubtedly."

"You both always talk up your homelands so much," Bishop chimed in as he settled down next to Wyllin. "Though I still don't know much more about it than the fact it's warmer and has bigger trees... And the fact the alcohol is disgusting over there."

"It's an  _acquired_ taste, Bishop," She rolled her eyes. "And I've told you about more than that already. Haven't you been paying attention?"

He thought back. "Other than vague details about the Green Pact and the crazy archers you have there, no. I don't remember much."

"Well, you're sitting with two Valenwood natives right now, are you not? I don't think either of us would have a problem with answering any questions you might have." Valdras looked towards his sister, who seemed somewhat concerned about the idea for... Some reason, but she didn't object. He then turned his eyes back to the Nord. "So, what did you want to know?"

Bishop went quiet for a moment. When he finally thought of something to ask, he leaned in a little and looked the Bosmer in front of him over. "How do you keep the birds from shitting on your trees?"

Valdras just looked stunned while Wyllin was laughing almost hysterically. For a good moment, that was the only sound to be heard within the entire house.

"I'm... Not sure?"

"He's just being an ass, Val," Wyllin explained when she finally calmed back down enough to speak. "Don't mind him. Honestly, I doubt he actually gives two shits when it comes to  _actually_ learning about our homelands."

"I mean, I'm  _kind_ of curious. I've been traveling around with a native who keeps talking the place up like it's Aetherius on Nirn, after all. It'd be nice to know  _why,_ but..." He scratched the back of his head and frowned. "No. I really don't give enough of a shit. I seem to find out plenty whenever I give the chance for the fair ladyship to open her mouth about it though."

"Alright then..." Valdras cleared his throat a bit awkwardly. "Why don't you tell me about your trip up north, Wyllin? I gathered it was rather important from the letter you sent, but no word about whatever's gone wrong has reached this hold just yet."

"Ah, yeah. It was pretty crazy up there for a good while..." She'd gone on to explain the events that'd transpired at the College of Winterhold as her brother listened intently. Everything from Saarthal to what happened with Ancano, though she did choose to leave out a few details that could've troubled him, such as what happened with Morokei. The last thing she needed to do was have him concerned about her. He'd been doing a pretty good job of  _not_  getting too overbearing thus far.

"Well, that sounds like quite an adventure," He said once she'd finished. "The Staff of Magnus though? I believe I've heard about that at one point. Maybe in a book?" It wouldn't have been surprising, given how the majority of his life was training and study.

"Mhmm. Having that kind of power was terrifying, to put it bluntly. I didn't feel right when I was using it." She frowned and looked down at her hands. Just thinking about it brought back that odd buzzing sensation in them. "Then again, it was extremely unstable by that point. I don't know. The college is hopefully getting that sorted away by now."

"As long as things have been settled, I doubt you have much to worry about now. In any case, I'm glad you're back. I was getting worried for a while, especially when that Blades woman stopped by because she couldn't find you."

Wyllin furrowed her brow. "Delphine? She came  _here?"_ How did that woman even know where she lived? She never told her.

"Yes. Well, not here, but to the capital of this hold." Okay, that made a bit more sense. "I wasn't there at the time, but she was lucky enough to run into Rayya while she was gathering things for the house, and recognized her as the woman traveling with you when she'd first met you. Apparently, she'd been trying to contact you about something regarding the Blades, but wouldn't say what."

"Probably the same thing she'd sent word to the Companions about. Apparently the courier couldn't find me, so just dropped the letter off in Jorrvaskr." Wyllin sighed as she pulled the letter from her side pouch. "Something useful to the Blades. I'm guessing she'd followed through on my suggestion to dig up information about previous members, since she's the type to 'get things done from behind the scenes'."

"You don't seem the fondest of her."

"Because I'm not. I just put up with her because, at the end of the day, reforming this group might be useful. Besides, she despises the Thalmor just as much as I do. It's kind of the reason why I first began to trust her to begin with." Gods only knew why. "I get the feeling she's not really suited to run the Blades though."

"She was the one you had kneeling and apologizing, correct? I got the feeling she shouldn't be the one to lead such an organization from that alone."

"The very same, though that apology wasn't exactly  _genuine_ if you ask me. Woman's too stubborn to admit she's wrong. She probably just didn't want to end up like High King Torygg."

"Who?"

"Oh... Right, you don't know much about Skyrim's politics. He's the former ruler of Skyrim. It's a long story, but he was apparently shouted to pieces by Ulfric Stormcloak, who also has the power of the Voice. At least that's what everyone says." She shrugged. "Anyways, he's not all that important. I was planning on heading back over to Sky Haven to find out  _exactly_ what she wants, if you wish to tag along again."

Her brother smiled and nodded his head. "It'd be nice to head back out again, yes. I'll admit that Delphine's secretive nature has left me rather curious since the last time I've spoken to her. She doesn't trust anyone, does she?"

Wyllin sighed. "No, not really, and it makes it almost impossible to work with her sometimes. She didn't even want to believe that I'm Dragonborn until she literally saw me kill a dragon and take its soul."

"To be fair, it's not like it's exactly  _easy_ to believe something like that until you see it for yourself, princess," Bishop remarked, which earned a glare from her. "Don't give me that. Before I met you, I would've laughed in the face of anyone who told me the Dragonborn's a tiny Bosmer with hair down to her ass. Even now, it's still kind of hilarious to think about."

She let out a soft growl, but then smirked and took hold of his arm. "Perhaps you'd like a reminder to not judge a book by its cover? I'll gladly Shout you clean through the door of the manor if that's the case."

He immediately pulled his arm out from her grasp and scooted away from her a little in his seat. "I'm just fine where I'm at, but thanks for the offer."

Valdras looked on at the two, a bit perplexed. He managed to catch their attention by clearing his throat. "So, I assume you wish to rest for the night, and then we're starting our journey to Sky Haven tomorrow?"

"That's the plan, yeah." Wyllin stood up from the table. "Did you eat yet? I was planning on making something once we got back home."

"Nothing sustaining. Rayya was going to cook when she got back from... Whatever it was that she's been doing."

"Probably gathering supplies, if the basket she had on her arm was anything to go by. I'll fetch her." She turned and made her way towards the door. Bishop watched as she exited the manor, but soon brought his eyes back to her brother, and then raised a brow at the look the elf was giving him.

"So, what  _all_ happened in Winterhold?"

The Nord sighed. "Kinda figured you'd realized she'd left stuff out. You know, I  _really_ hate her incessant need to put her life on the line for  _everyone._ The bastards in this province don't deserve it, if you ask me, regardless of whether or not she's Skyrim's folk hero."

Valdras chuckled. "I've noticed your distaste for her lifestyle before."

"Distaste doesn't even begin to describe it."

"And yet you stick around?"

"Of course. She's managed to drag me along this far. I just wish she'd keep the people who care about her in mind when she thinks about pulling some of the reckless stunts she does." Bishop sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Was she ever like this  _before_ coming to Skyrim?"

"Not to the apparent extreme you've witnessed, but she would've laid her life down for Valenwood if she felt it was necessary, and probably still would. Given the tensions rising in the province as of late, I fear to talk about more recent events going on back home."

"Tensions?"

"The Dominion's increased presence and their lack of respect for the Green and any Bosmeri traditions have left a lot of the natives less than pleased with them. On top of that, the number rumors of smaller villages being razed by the Altmer have increased. I've been away for a few months, but I doubt any of this has gotten better. I just worry for the safety of Archen Cormount."

"I'm guessing that's your home village."

Valdras nodded. "Yes. The people of it haven't exactly been treated kindly by previous iterations of the Aldmeri Dominion, which is why everyone was so reluctant to abandon their beliefs and side with them in the beginning. Even now, only the Nightgroves and our Dominion appointed Treethane have been able to keep the peace. Given Cormount's history, however, I doubt that will remain for long. For all I know, that peace could have already been broken, but... I don't need Wyllin finding out about that. She already has too much to deal with. Please, if you would..."

"I won't tell her any of this."

"Y'ffre's blessings." It was easy to tell that he wasn't the fondest of keeping such things from his sister. At the same time, it was for the best. "Anyway, you never answered my question. What all  _had_ happened back in Winterhold?"

Bishop scratched the back of his head. Just as he was about to answer that, the door opened to reveal Wyllin, Rayya, and Iddari. The two decided to drop the conversation for the time being as the women who entered began to prepare everything for dinner. Admittedly, it was nice to settle down and have a home cooked meal every now and then, versus just living off of whatever they had out on the road.

That night had passed by smoothly. Wyllin spent the majority of it showing off some of the spells she'd learned back in Winterhold, and Valdras seemed both proud and somewhat concerned about how easily his sister had taken to Destruction magic. Luckily, she also appeared to know how to  _control_ that magic. After dinner was had and everything was cleaned up, everyone slowly began to turn in for the night. Iddari had said her goodbyes and headed off back to her own home, and Rayya made her way towards her room. Valdras had taken the guest room he'd been staying in since he arrived, and Wyllin settled down with Bishop in the master bedroom. After everything they'd gone through, they both were grateful for the modicum of peace they were allotted, even if it was undoubtedly going to be short lived.

* * *

 

Delphine looked towards the entrance to the temple when it was opened. "Finally got my message, I see." She got up from the table and made her way over to the group.

Wyllin chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, sorry, I had to take ca-"

It was clear the old Blades member wasn't paying attention. "Here, I'd managed to pull a few strings and obtained an official list of suspected members of the Blades that the Thalmor are looking into. Despite the issues you caused for them, they still have some pretty exploitable weaknesses in their security." The list was handed off to the elf.

"Okay..." So much for any thoughts she had about Delphine  _actually_ being concerned. She looked over the paper she was given and furrowed her brow. "This list is... Pretty short."

"Yes, and it's even shorter when you're looking for any supposed members currently hiding out in Skyrim. In fact, there's only three we were able to find." The Breton pointed to the names that'd been circled. "I doubt they're actually going by their  _real_ names, but you never know. There's the Imperial known as Tacilis, who's taken up residency in Rorikstead. There's a Nord named Fultheim somewhere in the Pale. My sources suggest Nightgate Inn. Then there's the Redguard named Sionha, who lives in Riften."

The list was folded and shoved into her side pouch. "So, you've chosen to wait around here until I came back and then send  _me_ out there to look for these guys instead of doing it yourself? You do realize I have  _other_ things to be doing, right?"

Delphine frowned and crossed her arms, clearly unamused by that little comment. "I need to stay here and look after the temple, and Esbern. On top of that, I've got the Thalmor hunting me down, unlike you. Listen, I'm not asking you to go out of your way to find anyone. Just keep them in mind on your travels."

"I'll see about it. I don't find myself crossing through  _any_ of these places all that frequently." She sighed and shook her head. "Well, regardless, I'm not about to just turn around and head back out straight away."

"That's fine. Take all the time you need."

She made her way further into the temple, and nearly tripped on a piece of rock that'd broken off the ceiling in the process. Apparently 'looking after' this place didn't mean cleaning it properly. Did Delphine really want these potential recruits walking in to find  _this?_ She grumbled profanities under her breath and continued on. Soon after she'd taken a seat at the war room's table, she pulled the list from her pouch once more and opened it.

"You're really going to put up with this woman bossing you around?" Bishop asked as she read over it again.

The sudden voice from off to her side had her tensing up until she realized who it was. Her eyes shifted over to the Nord who sat down next to her, and she sighed. "The Blades could be good allies."

"'Good allies' who are going to be led by a shriveled bitch who doesn't seem to give a damn about anyone other than herself."

 _"Bishop,_  keep your voice down!" She hissed as her eyes darted back towards Delphine. Luckily, she was too distracted by the conversation she was having with Esbern, who'd just appeared from wherever after Wyllin had walked off.

"I don't give a fuck about what she hears me say, princess. She's never liked me, even when she was just an innkeeper at the Sleeping Giant." He shook his head. "Maybe you haven't noticed, but she really doesn't care about you, or even your title. She has you heading out and doing work that she's too lazy to do herself. If she can gather information about these stupid ex Blades, then she can easily track them down as well."

She groaned. "I know, I just-"

He wasn't keen on letting her try to argue her case. "It took you outright shaming her in public for her to even  _listen_ to you about the dragons, and it's damn easy to tell she hasn't forgotten about that. How long are you going to let her push you around?"

She bared her teeth and growled, though he seemed completely unfazed by it. "Need I remind you  _she's_ the reason I've come as far as I have. Without her and Esbern, I wouldn't have been able to figure out my prophecy in time to take down Alduin."

"And you don't owe her shit for that. You don't owe  _anything_ to  _anyone,_ Wyllin. You've already fulfilled that stupid prophecy and saved this world. You don't have to do her bidding because she helped you along the way." He let out a frustrated sigh. "All that time ago, you told that Greybeard that you're not a puppet to the Blades."

"I'm not."

"Well, that's not what I'm seeing."

Her hands balled into fists. "What?"

"Don't play stupid. You  _know_ what I said. If you really don't want to be a pawn for people to use, then stop doing all of their bidding. Maybe people will respect you a bit more if you put your damn foot down instead of doing everything they ask."

"It's called  _compassion,_ Bishop!" That was definitely loud enough for the others in the temple to hear. They all looked towards the two as Wyllin continued. "I  _care_ about the people of Skyrim and I want to  _help_ them, which is a fuck of a lot different than letting them use me! Maybe if you had even an  _ounce_ of compassion yourself, then you could actually  _see_ that difference!"

By that point, Valdras was making his way towards them. "Is something wrong?"

His sister stood up from her seat and picked up the list. "It's fine. I'm fine... I just need some fresh air.  _Don't_ follow me." When she noticed Delphine and Esbern approaching as well, she walked right over to the former and shoved the piece of paper against her plated chest. "Deal with these Blades members yourself. I'm done helping." Both of them were too stunned to respond, and they just watched as she walked off towards the balcony.

Bishop was about to follow her, but was stopped when Valdras grabbed him by the shoulder. "The fuck?"

"I think it's better to listen to her. You already know what can happen when she gets pushed too far, Bishop."

That had the Ranger pressing his hand to his scarred cheek. Surely she wouldn't get  _that_ bad again, right? Maybe it was best that he didn't push it. "Whatever." His eyes turned to Karnwyr, who was looking in the direction Wyllin had gone and whimpering. He knelt down and scratched the wolf behind his ears, which caught his attention. "Come on, buddy. Let's get you something to eat." That had Karnwyr perking up, and he eagerly followed Bishop towards the temple's kitchen area. Surely Delphine at least kept some meat stocked in there. If not, then the Reach had plenty of game.

Wyllin had settled with taking up aim at a practice target out on the balcony. She'd just settled into a steady pace when she heard something off to her left. At first, she just assumed it was someone from inside and growled as she lowered her bow. "I thought I told you to leave me the hell alone!"

"I was told no such thing." That... Wasn't the voice of anyone from inside the temple. Though it was still  _very_ familiar. She turned and practically froze in place when she saw a masked figure with piercing blue eyes. The woman from the last time she'd been in the Reach? "Pardon my intrusion, Dragonborn. I've been wanting to actually speak with you for some time."

For the love of the Gods. "If you're here to fight me again, you can just fuck right off. I'm not in the mood."

"No, not tonight." The stranger pulled her hood down, and the mask covering her face soon followed. "I truly am just here to talk."

The elf frowned as she looked the woman over. "The first time we met, you tried to ambush me while I was hunting with my brother. Now you just want to 'talk'? Are you insane?"

"I have reasons for my actions. Can't go believing everything you hear, especially when it's something as strange as a small wood elf being Skyrim's grand heroine of  _Nordic_ legend... And the fact this very same wood elf has been traveling with an... Old acquaintance of mine."

Old acquaintance of hers? "Bishop?"

She nodded. "Yes. Honestly, I'd hoped to speak with you sooner, but it's rather hard to get you alone. Even the last time we spoke, you had someone else with you."

"Yes, the last time, when you  _attacked_ me. Look, you'd better start making sense before I put an arrow between your eyes. There were better ways for you to figure out who I am than just luring me into an ambush."

The stranger shrugged her shoulders. "I work in odd ways, though I do only have the best of intentions. Before you do something you might regret, I suggest hearing me out."

"Explain yourself.  _Fast."_

It was clear this woman wasn't too fond of Wyllin trying to order her around. Still, she remained calm and level-headed. "You know, you're not the first one to fall for Bishop. I wasn't either." Wait,  _what?_ "He's had plenty of victims in the past. There's no shortage of young, naive women for him prey on. When I first heard he had his claws wrapped around someone new, I almost dismissed it. Then I found out just  _who_ that person was. The  _Dragonborn_ herself? You're pretty high profile for someone like him. Then again, you're probably a rather thrilling hunt as well, but that's neither here nor there." She sighed. "After the... Err... Falling out I had with him a few years back, I promised myself to just keep as far away from him as possible. It'd spare me a lot of hurt, but I felt that I couldn't ignore this. I  _know_ what he's like, and I know what he's capable of doing, so I told myself that if you seemed at all worth it, I'd at least warn you of what I know about him. Maybe it'd spare you some heartache."

"And just  _why_ should I believe a damn word you say?"

"I mean, you don't  _have_ to. I haven't given you any reason to trust me. Still, that doesn't change the fact I  _do_ know Bishop. I know of things he's done in the past, and I get the sneaking suspicion that he's kept a lot of it from you. He certainly went out of his way to keep it hidden from me, though I have a way of digging these things up. It's always been a specialty of mine."

Wyllin scoffed and crossed her arms. "He knows better than to keep secrets from me. The last time he did, it didn't end well."

"Ahh, I assume you mean Thorn?" She didn't even need to speak. The look in her eyes confirmed the stranger's assumption. "He wasn't exactly open about that part of his past with me either. Then again, who'd want to be associated with that disgusting pig? Regardless, he still kept that from you, despite the fact you're someone he clearly 'trusts'."

"Ugh... That doesn't matter. Thorn's taken care of, and he's agreed to not hide things from me. It's not my fault if he decided he couldn't trust  _you_ enough to fill you in on his past."

"He doesn't trust anybody with that, miss Springlock." This woman  _knew_ her name? Actually... It probably wasn't that hard to find out anymore. "Especially the few people he actually  _wants_ to have around. Believe it or not, Thorn isn't the worst part of it. Of course, you have no reason to believe anything I say. So, if he's apparently willing to share things about his past with you, ask him about his family, the Thrice-Banished. More specifically, ask him about his father Torban, and how he  _murdered_ him in cold blood."

"He... What?" This woman was joking, right? Wyllin got the feeling that Bishop wasn't the fondest of his family, but he wouldn't have just...

"Like I said, ask him yourself. That man's hiding a lot from you." She smirked, almost satisfied with the shock written across the Bosmer's face. "And do bear in mind that he hasn't changed a bit since then, no matter what you'd want to think."

She managed to regain herself after that, and then crossed her arms as she glared at the woman. "You couldn't possibly know that."

That had the stranger chuckling darkly as she approached the little elf. "Tell me, Dragonborn, how long have you been traveling with him? It can't be much more than half a year by this point, if my sources are anything to go by." 'Sources'? What the fuck? How long had this woman been following them? She shook her head. "I was with him for nearly two. Admittedly there were times where I thought I'd gotten through to him, but they never lasted. He'd go back to how he was before I met him with almost no effort. Even if he actually  _wanted_ to change, he doesn't have it in him. He's a scoundrel and womanizer, with very little sympathy for anyone. Don't let his words or looks fool you. The moment he doesn't have a use for you, he'll leave, just like he'd done to me."

Wyllin's hands balled into fists. She couldn't tell if she was more pissed off or concerned, but some strong negative emotion was there. The close proximity of this woman was leaving her unnaturally anxious. What was wrong with her? She didn't feel safe. She hardly felt actually  _human._ The elf settled a hand on one of her daggers. "Don't get any closer."

She stopped walking immediately. "I assure you that if I  _was_ here to harm you, we wouldn't be conversing right now. I wanted to see if you were worth my warning, and I deemed that you were. Though I can see that you're still nervous... Very well." She sighed. "I should be going anyway. Just heed my warning. He's not at all what you think he is." Wyllin couldn't get another word in before she disappeared in the same way she had the last time. Where in Oblivion did she even learn that? True teleportation wasn't all that common, especially in places where magical knowledge was very limited.

The elf just stood there, dumbfounded and trying to process what had happened. Bishop... Killed a family member? His  _father,_ no less? That was something she never expected to hear. Not about him. She quietly turned and gathered up her arrows. She needed to find a quiet spot to think.


	41. Troubles in Solitude

It was easy to see how strange Wyllin was acting. She was far more reserved than usual. Whenever Bishop or Valdras tried to question her on it, she'd only give vague responses about 'thinking'. At one point, they just decided to let whatever was going on run its course. Though her apparent lack of ability to hold conversations left their journey to Rorikstead relatively quiet, outside of any dangers they encountered. While her moment of apparent lucidity had her telling Delphine to handle matters concerning the former Blades herself, the Bosmer eventually agreed to check things out, despite her partner's protests. Rorikstead was the closest, so that was where they went first.

"Don't you find the lack of women in this town kind of disturbing?" Bishop asked as they continued walking. "Even the mothers of the children here have all vanished."

Wyllin looked towards him. "Hmm? Oh, I've never really paid attention to that..." Actually, he was right when she thought about it. There were only a few females dotting the small village, and most of them were children. Though that wasn't exactly their primary concern. "Anyway, I'm going to ask around about this..." She looked back to her list. "Tacilis. Maybe the innkeeper knows something."

"Sounds like the best place to go."

"Yeah... Try to not get shitfaced while we're here." He frowned at her when she said that, but she didn't acknowledge that. Instead, she started towards the inn, only to be stopped when a hand was placed on her shoulder. That had her turning to be faced with her somewhat concerned-looking brother. "What?"

Valdras motioned for Bishop to go on ahead while he hung back with his sister. Once the Nord was through the door of Frostfruit Inn, he spoke. "Tell me what's going on with you. I've dealt with you since you were born and you  _only_ act like this when something's wrong."

She sighed. "It's noth-"

"Don't give me that. You're my sister. I  _know_ when you're troubled. Tell me what's going on."

He wasn't going to back down, was he? She groaned and pulled away from him, and then hugged her shoulders. "I... Ran into someone on the balcony of Sky Haven."

"What? Who else could've been there?"

"Remember that woman who confronted us back in the Reach? It was her."

"She didn't attack you again, did she?" That was a pretty valid concern, given their first encounter had them severely outnumbered... To dremora, of all things.

"No, she didn't, but she told me... Something." He was going to push her for details, and she knew it. There was no point in trying to resist. "She told me she used to... I guess be in love with Bishop, and she found out a lot about his past some point after they split up."

Valdras crossed his arms. "And what about his past could possibly have you acting so nervous around him all of a sudden? Even your previous issues with him regarding Thorn didn't seem to affect you like this has."

"She told me that he'd apparently  _killed_ his father." Her words had his eyes widening. That actually would've explained a lot, given how family oriented she was. Her own family meant the world to her. "I knew how he was with his entire family. During the few times I'd actually managed to get him to speak about them, he never seemed fond of them. But... This?"

"Yeah, that's... Really something to think about. Though I don't think you should be listening to this woman. She doesn't seem like the trustworthy type. On top of that, if she's Bishop's ex, chances are she would go out of her way to make him out to be worse than he actually is."

"I know that, I would've never expected anyone to lie about something this extreme, even someone like her."

"People can be like that in this world, Wyll. It's the sad truth." He sighed. "If you're really this bent out of shape, I suggest talking to him about it. If he's learned anything in his time with you, it's to not keep secrets like that."

"Right... I'll think about it. Thanks, Val." She pulled her brother in for a hug. Afterwards, she continued on towards the inn.

"Welcome travelers," The innkeeper greeted as they walked inside. He stood behind the bar with a smile on his face. "Let me know if you need anything."

As Valdras took a seat next to Bishop, who  _already_ had a mug of probably something alcoholic in his hands, Wyllin made her way towards the counter. "I'm actually looking for someone who lives in Rorikstead. A friend sent me to him with a message."

"Ahh, who might this friend be?"

"Someone named Tacilis?"

The innkeeper nodded. "Ah, that odd fellow. He moved here a couple of decades ago with his wife and son. Sadly, that wife passed, and he hasn't really been the same since. He works the one farm with his son nearby, and stops in for drinks most evenings. Pretty easy to spot. There aren't too many Imperials in this village."

"Alright, thanks. I'll go talk to him."

"Anytime, miss."

She smiled him, and then turned to walk over to her two companions. "Looks like the innkeeper was able to help me. Tacilis does live here, and should probably be working a farm nearby right now. I'll go see if I can find him." She then looked towards Bishop and frowned. "Val, can you make sure he doesn't get  _too_ wasted in the meantime."

"Sure thing, sis."

Bishop mirrored her expression. "You act like I can't hold my alcohol, princess. I think I'll do just fine."

"We're not going to stay here the night. I don't need you lagging behind and stumbling around when we head back out." He just scoffed at her in response and turned back to his drink. She smirked and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Afterwards, she headed off towards the door and out into the village again.

Tacilis was, indeed, tending to a farm. The balding Imperial stood by a patch of cabbages, leaning against the top of the handle of his hoe. When she drew closer, she realized he was talking to someone who definitely looked like his son... Though he didn't look like he was pureblooded Imperial. As Wyllin approached, the two stopped their conversation and turned towards her. The father was the first to speak up. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

"I was actually here to talk with someone named Tacilis. You're him, right?"

"The one and only. What could a pretty li'l miss such as yourself need to speak with me about?"

"Ahh... It's regarding matters relating to old friends of yours from Cyrodiil."

"Cyrodiil? Haven't set foot in the province in years. What could these 'friends' want with me?" He scratched the back of his neck. "I don't owe one of them money or something, do I?"

The elf chuckled. "No, ahh..." She glanced around. "I was told you're a former member of a certain defunct organization."

That immediately had Tacilis' expression turning grim. "What could you  _possibly_ know about that?" As this was going on, his son was just looking at the two with a someone confused expression. Clearly his father hadn't really spoken about the Blades to him. Then again, that was probably a smart move.

"I've been in contact with another surviving member. She's sent me out to look for anyone who could be associated with them."

"And just why should I believe you, little elf?" Yep. There it was. Honestly, she couldn't exactly blame him for being distrustful towards her kind. They had ties to the Thalmor, after all.

She tried her best to ignore his sudden shift in emotions. "I can  _assure_ you I'm not what you think I am." There was really only one way to get out of all of this, and she  _knew_ that. "Actually, I'm the Dragonborn... And the Thalmor aren't too fond of me."

"Dragonborn? You?" Alright, so clearly not  _everyone_ knew about her. "I never would've expected..." He furrowed his brow. "No, that makes sense. There's lots of talk about you 'round here actually. Nobody really believes it at first when an outsider talks about you not being a Nord. A Bosmer though?"

"Yeah, a lot of people are surprised about that." She shrugged her shoulders. "Anyways, that's not really the point. This old friend of yours is here in Skyrim, and she's trying to locate any surviving Blades members."

By that point, the son must've found his voice. "The Blades? You were actually one of them, father?"

"Pipe down, Lucero. Do you want the entirety of the village to hear you?" He scowled at the young man, but his attention was soon turned back to Wyllin. "Who exactly  _is_ this friend of yours, Dragonborn?"

"A woman named Delphine."

"Delphine, hmm? Figures she would've survived all of that. The woman's always been the persevering type." He nodded. "Well, if she apparently trusts you enough, I probably can as well. Still, I'm not too sure what you or her could possible want from me. The Blades are disbanded."

"She's trying to start them back up again. There's even a temple in the Reach known as Sky Haven."

"Sky Haven... Yes, I've heard of that place before. It's long since been abandoned... And is secluded enough that no one from Cloud Ruler Temple even knew of its location. The perfect hideout..."

"Father, you're not  _seriously_ thinking about going there? How do you even know if  _anything_ this elf is telling you is actually true? For all you know, she could actually just be with the Thalmor and is luring you into a trap." Alright, now  _that_ pissed Wyllin off.

She glared at Lucero. It looked as though he still needed convincing that she was who she said she was. Very well... She took a few steps back and looked up towards the sky.  _"YOL TOOR SHUL."_  Fire spewed forth, stretching towards the clouds above before dissipating. When she looked back towards the two, both of them were completely dumbfounded.

Off in the background, a guard that was standing too close by got rather panicky. "The Thu'um! She summons the Thu'um!"

The elf smirked. "There. Is that enough to prove it to you? I could also find some way to lure a dragon here so you can watch me absorb its soul when it dies."

"N-no... I'm good." It looked as though the boy was trembling in his farming shoes. Perfect.

"In all my years..." Tacilis mumbled. It took a moment for him to collect himself before speaking again. "If Delphine truly is looking to reform the Blades, I'd gladly join back on. Perhaps my son could learn a thing or two as well by training as one."

"Woah there. I never signed up for-"

"Where is this Sky Haven Temple at, exactly?"

"In a place known as Karthspire, in the Karth river canyon in the Reach. I can't escort you there personally because I have a few other places to get to, but it's not too hard to find. There's a shrine to Dibella, and then a bridge not too far beyond that. That bridge will lead you there."

He nodded. "Alright then. I'll need time to gather my things, and then I'll set out there. By the way, Dragonborn..."

"Hmm?"

"My actual name is Varen. I changed it to avoid detection. It's been an honor to meet you in person." He held out his hand, which she gladly shook.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance as well. I should probably get back to my companions in Frostfruit. We're going to be heading out soon."

"Alright. Good luck on your journeys."

She nodded and smiled. Then she turned and made her way back to the inn. Karnwyr was waiting just outside of it, and she stopped to scratch his neck before heading inside. When she got in, she noticed the absence of a certain Nord. Valdras was still at the same table where he and Bishop were sitting before, and she walked up towards him. "Where's Bishop?"

The Bosmer's eyes flickered from the meal in front of him to his sister. "'Taking a leak', as he so eloquently put it."

"Ah..." She shrugged. "Well, I'm going to get something to eat. We're heading back out tonight. This village makes me... Uneasy."

"Fine by me."

She walked off towards the bar. After ordering, she took a seat by the counter and waited, allowing her thoughts to wander back to her conversation with Valdras just earlier. A frown had settled across her face as she tried to think about just  _how_ she could confront Bishop about what his apparent ex had told her. As she did so, someone had entered the inn and made their way up towards her. She didn't realize the new presence until he spoke.

"So, you're really the Dragonborn then?" When she glanced up, she noticed it was Lucero. "I want to apologize for how I acted. I'm just... My father's all I've had since my mother passed when I was twelve. It's been a rough few years, and I worry about losing him too."

"Understandable." She leaned against the bartop with her arms crossed over each other. "I can get why people think the way they do about me. A lot of my kin are associated with the Thalmor but... I was never fond of the Dominion as a whole." In fact, she was  _raised_ on those values. The blatant disrespect of her people's culture at the hands of the Altmer didn't help anything either.

"I figured you weren't with them by the way you acted when I assumed..." He looked around. "You said you had friends here?"

"Yeah, I'm just waiting on food right now before getting back to them."

"Ahh. Mind if I sit here with you until then?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure, go ahead." By the Gods, if this was some adoring fan of hers, she was going to puke.

He took a seat next to her. "Honestly, I've imagined the Dragonborn in my head a thousand times, but I never thought she'd be someone like you." Lucero frowned and scratched the back of his head. "I... Didn't mean that as an insult. It's just that I doubt many people think of someone who looks like you."

"No. Not many picture a Bosmer as a Nordic legend, but that makes sense."

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh?"

"I don't know. I've always pictured some older, battleworn woman with a scratchy voice. That's mainly why I didn't believe you."

She laughed. "Well, I don't think anyone's told me that before. They just always expect a Nord, or at the very least a  _human._ I just hope my voice doesn't actually become scratchy from Shouting so much."

"Heh... Yeah." The way he was eyeing her up left her somewhat uncomfortable, though she chose to play oblivious. At least until he became unbearable. "So, that accent of yours makes it clear you're a foreigner. How long have you been in Skyrim?"

Alright. A simple enough question. "Maybe a good year and a half at this point. I actually just came here to join on with the Companions for a time."

"The Companions?" He furrowed his brow. "You don't seem like the type to run with them. They're just a bunch of rough-and-tumble mercenaries."

"Yeah, that's what they come off as at first, but there's a lot more to them. It just takes some time to see that."

"Beautiful, strong, and compassionate? I can see why Akatosh would choose someone like you to be the Dragonborn."

She blushed lightly. "Thank you."

"Given how my father is, he's probably going to drag me along with this whole... Reforming deal. Honestly, if that means getting to work with someone like you, I think I'm a bit more okay with the thought." Work with her? He was going to be in for a world of disappointment due to the fact she was hardly around. She was brought away from that thought when she felt one of his hands resting itself on one of hers. "It'd be nice to get to know you better." Alright, at that point he was becoming  _too_ much, and she really didn't need him to get the wrong message.

She offered a kind smile and moved her hand. "That's sweet of you, but I-" The feeling of someone placing their hands on her shoulders interrupted her.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything, princess." Oh fuck.

Lucero immediately looked up at the Nord behind her, and then frowned. "Who's this?"

Shit. Shit shit shit. Wait... She could use the situation to her advantage. She moved a hand up and placed it over the one he had on the opposite shoulder. "This is Bishop. He's my  _partner."_ Hopefully the way she said that word gave off what she truly meant.

"Partner?" He eyed Bishop. "One of your friends?" God damnit. Was he actually  _that_  clueless, or was he just playing up the part?

That had the Ranger chuckling. "Friend? Buddy, I'm  _much_ more than just a friend to her." Maybe Bishop walking in was both a blessing  _and_ a curse... Or mostly just a curse.

"Is that so? I'd never expect someone like her to go for someone like you..."

"Frankly, I could say the same about you. Just by looking at you, I can tell you're not her type. Maybe try going for someone a bit more desperate... And available."

Wyllin sighed and shrugged his hands off of her shoulders. He was probably right, in all honesty, but he really had  _no_ reason to say it out loud. "Bishop, play nice."

"Ladyship, I think you know that if I wasn't playing nice, he'd be on the floor and bleeding." He had a point, but oh dear Gods...

Lucero stood up from his chair and attempted to stare Bishop down, and the latter seemed pretty damn unimpressed. "I think it's best that you watch your tongue." The elf had mumbled "don't provoke him" under her breath, but neither of the two heard it, apparently. Damnit, why did this  _always_ have to happen?

Bishop stepped a little closer to the other man, and his arms crossed themselves over his chest. "Watch  _my_ tongue? I could snap you in half, farmer boy. If there's anyone here that should be watching themselves, it's  _you."_

By that point, the innkeeper's attention was drawn from the meal he was preparing. He frowned at the two. "I think you both should calm down, or I'll have the guards escort you out of here." His words fell on deaf ears. He looked towards Wyllin. When she caught his irritated gaze, she knew she had to do something.

"Alright, that's enough," She said as she stood up and tried to step between the two, without much success. "Can you  _please_ not do this here?"

Neither of them took their eyes off the other. At that point, it looked as though Lucero was fighting more over his pride than actually giving a damn about the Dragonborn's relationship status with the Nord in front of him. Still, even that could lead to unsavory consequences. "You better get out of my face before I do something I might regret."

"Back down now, little man, before I do something I  _won't_ regret."

Something inside of the farmer must've snapped. He grabbed ahold of the front of Bishop's shirt and then shoved him down. The yelp Wyllin let out as she stepped back and lost her footing had alerted Valdras, who must've been off in his own world until that point. He was quickly on his feet and making his way across the tavern as his sister tried to regain herself. Bishop had landed on the floor and cursed under his breath. The few other patrons had turned their attention towards the scene, much to the elf's embarrassment.

Bishop got back to his feet and glared at his aggressor. "That's it, asshole." Wyllin wasn't able to regain herself in time. Her partner had brought his fist back and landed a hit right on Lucero's jaw, which knocked him into the counter.

Valdras had managed to get her back on her feet. Any attempt to keep her from trying to intervene again was fruitless. He could barely sputter out her name and try to grab at her before she was making her way over to the two again. Lucero had tried to land a hit on Bishop, but his attack was easily dodged. The Ranger grabbed onto his arm and twisted it hard enough to clearly be painful.

"Don't you  _dare_ try that again. I'm not above teaching you a lesson you won't forget."

Before things could go any further, Wyllin successfully found an opening and shoved herself in between the two. Luckily, she managed to force them apart. "Enough!"

"With all due respect, Dragonborn, I ask that you step asi-"

"Don't fucking give me that!" She glared at the farmer, who shrunk back a little at the rather aggressive tone of her voice. Then her attention turned towards Bishop, who she grabbed by one of the straps on his jacket and proceeded to drag out of the inn. Once they were away from the majority of potential prying eyes, she finally released her grasp and turned to face him. "Do you  _have_  to do this every damn time someone so much as even  _looks_ at me the wrong way?"

"Well forgive me for not exactly liking all the attention you get!"

She let out a frustrated groan. "Gods above! Why do you have to act like this? Act like I consider running off with just any bastard who tries their luck with me? Like I somehow  _enjoy_ it when I have some bastard I hardly know trying to get in my pants?! News flash! I. Fucking.  _DON'T."_

"Then why in Oblivion do you tolerate this bullshit?! You don't have to, you know!"

"Well, I was just about to tell him to fuck off in a bit of a nicer way until you pulled that stunt! Forgive me for not wanting to get on the bad side of the son of someone Delphine sent me to look for! Gods, you're infuriating!"

"If I really piss you off that much, why the fuck do you put up with me then?! Clearly you have plenty of other options!"

Did she really have to remind him? "Why? Because you're the first person since I've become Dragonborn who hasn't put me up on a pedestal! Because you're not afraid to be honest with me, and treat me like an actual person rather than some idol to be admired!" Both her body and her voice were practically shaking by that point. "Because for the first time in forever, I've been able to be myself around someone, and grow attached to them, and love them like I can with you. Do you really  _have_ to be reminded of that?"

He looked somewhat dumbfounded. Admittedly, it was still jarring to think that she actually felt that way. He couldn't remember  _anyone_ in his life feeling the same... Well, anyone who was actually being genuine about those feelings. "Wyllin, I..."

She cut him off. "Don't. Just... Come here." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him against her. Soon enough, he returned the gesture. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes as he combed his fingers through her hair. The sound of his heartbeat slowing back to a more normal pace was... Somehow comforting.  _He_ was comforting, despite the confrontation just before. "All those other men who try to chase me... I know their apparent desire is shallow. They like the Dragonborn, or just the idea of me as some dainty gal to be wooed and carried off into the sunset or whatever... They don't know me. Not in the way you do. Bishop, it doesn't matter what they say or how they act, they're never going to take me away from you. You're the only one out of all these men that actually matters to me, and I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future." Maybe not ever. Was it too early to tell? Things seemed to move almost  _too_ fast, and she still had that woman he apparently knew on the back of her mind. Well... She was actually pushed aside for the time being. Wyllin had other things to worry about than someone who might've been little more than a crazed stalker.

While she was unable to see it, Bishop managed to crack some semblance of a smile. It was weak, but still there. "I love you too, princess. I just... I've nearly lost you before. I don't need that again."

"Well, you don't need to worry about it. I'm right here, and this is where I'm going to stay." She then let out a half hearted laugh and pulled away from him. No effort was made to hide the fact she was on the verge of crying. It was kind of hilarious to think about. If someone had told her that she would somehow manage to fall for that guy she'd shot in the woods during their first meeting, she probably would've laughed in their face. Yet there she was... "I'm so thankful to have you, you know."

That had him raising an eyebrow. "Really now?" His hands moved to rest against her sides. "You know, I can think of a few ways you could  _show_ me how thankful you are, and I'm very open to all of them." She didn't have time to respond before she was scooped off of her feet and her back was pressed against the wall of the building they'd ducked behind. Well, he  _was_ still Bishop, and she wasn't  _completely_  surprised by that response.

"I bet there is, and I  _know_ you are." She cupped his face and brushed her thumbs against his stubbled cheeks. "Believe me when I say that I want you in all those ways... But maybe in some place more secluded first?"

"Tch. Secluded. We don't need seclusion. I'll  _gladly_ take you right here and now." He shifted his arms around, and then pressed a leg against the opening between her thighs, which had her gasping.

After her little fit, composure was something she sorely lacked, but she still tried her best. A hand moved to his chest, and she pushed him a little. "I know you would, but I'm not exactly keen on the thought of someone walking in and ruining the mood, yeah?" Especially if that someone turned out to be her brother. He'd already caught them in compromising positions before, though never when they'd completely gotten into it, thank the Gods.

He sighed. "Ever the cautious one."

"You could do with being a  _little_ more cautious, honestly." Her comment had him rolling his eyes. "Now, if you would let me down. I have an innkeeper to apologize to for your bullshit."

"Hey, that asshole deserved it. Maybe if he was able to swallow his stupid pride and backed down when I told him to..."

Wyllin scoffed. "You're not exactly able to swallow your own pride. I could've handled him just fine, you know. Anyways, I don't want to get into this again. Come on." She turned and made her way towards the inn, and he followed behind. Valdras had been waiting just outside. She told both him and Bishop to stay there and then made her way inside. After a brief conversation, she was out again. "I think it's better we hit the road, like I'd already planned to. He's still pretty pissed off about what happened." So much for eating there though.

"Fine with me." Bishop responded as he looked around Rorikstead. "I'm sick of this freaky town."

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Just as she was about to head down the steps, someone else walked up to them.

"I have a letter for you, miss," A young man said as he made his way towards her. His satchel was opened and a letter was pulled out. "Thankfully I was able to find you this time. It's from Falk Firebeard. Moving up in the world, eh?"

"Guess so." Odd. She rarely ever set foot in Haafingar. What could the steward in the Blue Palace want with her? She took the letter and thanked the courier. When she checked the front of it, the letter was addressed to 'Harbinger', rather than 'Dragonborn'. "Was this supposed to be sent to Jorrvaskr?"

"Yes it was, but I'm familiar with the fact you're the Harbinger. When I saw you here, I figured it'd be easier to deliver it to you, rather than all the way to Whiterun. Both him and Jarl Elisif were acting pretty odd when I got it from them. Wonder if it has to do with the recent assassination."

What? "Assassination?"

"You didn't hear about that? Yeah, something involving that Vittoria Vici? I don't know. Better to talk to them about the details. See you around, ma'am." With that, he made his way past her and inside of Frostfruit.

Both Valdras and Bishop looked at each other, and then to Wyllin as she opened the letter. While she was reading it over, a frown formed across her face. "Looks like it is about the assassination. They think it was a political stunt. Worse yet, whoever did it went as far as to call upon the  _Dark Brotherhood_ to carry it out. Jarl Elisif had her steward write to the Companions and ask for additional protection of a few people of importance."

"And I'm guessing you're about to take a detour to Solitude to check this out?" Bishop's assumption was definitely correct, judging by the look on her face. "The others can take care of this themselves, you know."

"It'd take longer for this to reach them. I don't exactly have a telepathic link to the Circle members or something. Look, I just want to check this out. I'm not going to make any promises to help them personally." She undoubtedly would help anyway, but that was beside the point. "Fultheim and Sionha can wait. If they've managed to evade the Thalmor for this long, they'll be fine for a few more days."

He sighed. By that point, he knew he wasn't able to talk her out of things like this. "Fine. Let's get this done and over with. Hopefully a certain Paladin isn't hanging around anymore."

"Paladin?" Valdras asked.

"Not important," Wyllin told him. "Come on. The sooner we get to Solitude, the better."

* * *

 

The journey to Skyrim's Capital wasn't too bad. A group of bandits tried to set up an ambush not too far from Dragon's Bridge, but they didn't have much success. They probably weren't expecting to take on a small group of skilled archers and a barely tamed wolf. After that was taken care of, the journey was pretty smooth. Bishop had made a comment about the lack of dragons as of late, but Wyllin just told him to be thankful for that.

When they got to Solitude, she made her way to the Blue Palace alone. Valdras wanted to look around, and Bishop was more interested in the Winking Skeever. It was clear that the entirety of Solitude took a pretty big hit from whatever the Dark Brotherhood had apparently done, and the members of Elisif's counsel were much worse.

When Falk noticed who entered, he raised an eyebrow. "Dragonborn? What are you doing here?"

"I'm with the Companions. I was told Solitude had some trouble recently?"

"Ahh... That was fast. I assume you've read the letter and know of the assassination of Solitude's beloved Vittoria Vici?"

She nodded. "Yes. That's the  _only_ thing I've heard about since I've walked into the city." That didn't come as much of a surprise to her. Everyone seemed so obsessed with death in Skyrim.

"It was on her wedding day, no less. Clearly the motive for this was political, and I fear things are only going to get worse. Whoever made this has a plan, and I want any other potential target of this plan to feel as secure as possible in Skyrim."

"And I'm assuming this is where the Companions come in?"

"Yes, exactly. Your guild is made up of some of Skyrim's greatest warriors. We're not asking you to put everything else on hold, but we need to make sure everyone is safe until we can put an end to the danger they all face."

"That's reasonable. If you tell me what exactly you want done, I'll be sure to relay the message to the Circle. We'll do everything in our power to keep these potential targets safe."

Falk nodded. "We've come up with a list of people that need your guild's protection. While the Penitus Oculatus branch in Skyrim has already stated they're perfectly capable of protecting the province's citizens, Elisif and I know that they can't do this alone. Not when the Brotherhood itself is involved."

"Understandable. Just tell me what needs to be done."

Falk nodded and motioned for Elisif to hand him the list. Then they got to work.


	42. The Brotherhood

As Wyllin was handling things in the Blue Palace and Valdras was out exploring, Bishop had settled into the tavern for the evening. The journey had been long, and his partner was still apparently on edge. He'd really need to get her alone and try and get her to spill on whatever had been making her so antsy, but that was for another time. While the Skeever wasn't known for the best mead, it was still enough to ease his troubled thoughts. He was a few mugs in when he noticed someone all too familiar had made his way inside. Gods above. Why was  _he_ still around. The moment Bishop locked eyes with the Paladin, he sneered.

"Well, look who it is! Everyone's favorite white knight has reared his ugly face yet again. Why the  _fuck_ are you still in Skyrim?"

Casavir just shook his head and made his way to a seat. Apparently, he wasn't in the mood to put up with the Ranger and his antics. One of the tavern's waitresses walked up to him and took down his order. After she'd left, Bishop made his way over. He wasn't too fond of being ignored.

"I believe I asked you a question, Cassy." The way he slurred made it clear that he was drunk, which only made matters worse.

"Leave me alone, Bishop. I'm here to aid the war efforts, and I will remain here for a while."

"Really now?" He took a seat at the table and eyed the Paladin up.

"Yes." Casavir made every attempt to not look at him. Instead, his eyes wandered around the room. Something definitely seemed off. "Have you managed to finally scare your quarry away? You're usually following her around like a lost dog."

Bishop chuckled. "I figured there was more than just the war keepin' you here. You're still wanting to chase after her, ain'tcha? Got bad news for you, Paly. She's still with  _me,_  and she's still not interested in  _you._ She just had to deal with somethin' in the Blue Palace and I decided that I didn't need to tag along. I can at least realize she's able to handle herself."

"I never said she couldn't."

"Nah, but you've still got that mentality. 'S like you think she's some damsel who can't take care of herself. In case you've forgotten, she's the damn  _Dragonborn,_ and she doesn't need some asshole with a temple's cloak tryin' to 'protect' her."

Casavir rolled his eyes. "I'm well aware that she can take care of herself, but I'm also aware of what you do to women like her. She doesn't deserve some savage wolf tainting her in the way you do with any woman you chase after."

"Taint her? You act like she's some shinin' beacon of holy light that's too pure for the harshness of this world. Well, I got somethin' to tell yah.  _She's not."_ Bishop shook his head. "No, Casavir, she's far from that, and I doubt she ever  _was_ as pure as you make her out to be, even before she met me." He then smirked as some heinous idea crept into his mind. "Though, if you still don't believe me, I can  _tell_ you about all the ways she's so impure."

It seemed that Casavir caught onto his meaning. "I don't need you-"

He cut the Paladin off. "If you could only see the way she looks at me when she wants me. If she looked with those bright green eyes of hers as they burned with that kind of passion... Fuck... It'd be  _more_ than enough to get you to be betray that false oath you clutch so tightly onto."

Casavir shifted around in his seat and clenched his fists. "Bishop-"

"Her skin's soft, you know. Wouldn't expect that from some wild little Bosmer who beats up dragons as a hobby. Warm too. I can practically feel her now." He sighed and closed his eyes. "And smell her, and taste her."

"I don't need to-"

His eyes shot open again. "Oh, and... And Cas, she fits me like a damned glove? Her squirming and moaning while she's under me is just..."

"For the love of... Would you just  _stop?_ "

"What's wrong, Paly? Am I stirrin' somethin' deep inside of you that you're  _far_ too uncomfortable with? Wouldn't be surprised. I already know you want to bed that hot-blooded woman."

"You're wrong about-"

"Don't lie to yourself. Well, I'm not-so sorry to say that I've got bad news for you. Even if you  _somehow_ manage to succeed on that, it won't ever be you on her mind. No. She'll only think of me, and think of how much better  _I_  am, compared to the self-righteous pile of scum you are."

Casavir growled and stood up from his seat. He looked as though he about ready to just rip into this hedonistic Ranger, but a voice stopped him.

"Already started drinking without me?" Wyllin asked as she approached the two. Her eyes then turned to the Paladin. "I... Hope you two are getting along."

"Oh, don't worry, ladyship. I was only regalin' His Holy Righteousness with our adventures since we last visited here."

"You're a disgusting animal, Bishop." The Paladin's hands clenched into fists. "You dare sully this girl with your vile antics..."

"Sully..." It took a moment for the reason why he used that word to kick in. She then gritted as she glared over towards her companion.  _"Bishop, I swear to the Gods._ You better be damned lucky I don't wring your neck right here and now, Ranger."

"Oh, she likes it rough too. I think she still has a few marks on her-"

 _"Shut your fucking mouth, now."_ She demanded.

"My lady, with all due respect, you really shouldn't be in his company. He's only going to lead you down that same dark path he took years ago." Casavir walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please, I think it's time you part ways with him. His behaviors aren't suited for a lady of your status."

She brushed his hand off and then turned to him. "Oh, don't  _you_ even start. Listen, Casavir, as much as I'd hate to ruin this... Image that you have in your head of me, I can tell you right now it's not true, and hasn't been for a long time. Forget this drunken sod." She gestured towards Bishop.

"Hey! I take offense to that."

 _"Quiet!"_  She hissed, before returning her attention to Casavir. "Anyways, forget him and whatever he's said. He wasn't the first, and whatever I might do to him only pales in comparison to other aspects of me. I'm not pure or delicate, Dibella knows that. I've done a lot in the past I'm sure I don't need to explain to you, so  _please_ drop this image you have of me. Like it or not, it's far from the truth."

"I think I need a moment."

"Then take it."

The Paladin quickly retreated from the tavern, abandoning everything he'd initially entered to do in the process.

Wyllin shook her head. "I need a strong drink after all of this..." Her eyes turned to Bishop, "Wipe that damn smug look off of your face."

"I'll never pass up on an opportunity to dig at him if it ever arises. Ladyship, if you only know what I do about his past-"

"I don't care to know. I'm sick of you being unable to play nice."

"Play nice? With him? Tell me you're joking."

"Ugh, whatever." She waved her hand dismissively and turned to walk towards the bar.

He glanced towards his mostly empty mug, and then back to her. "Mind getting me another one while you're at it."

"You've had enough!"

* * *

The next day came and Wyllin had managed to push aside the shit that happened the previous night between Bishop and Casavir. Though she had told him to sleep somewhere else. He'd found her in the morning, sitting at a table with Valdras. When he joined them, she told him what their plans were going to be for the next few days.

It was pretty clear that he was less than pleased with what she'd agreed to do. "So, you're telling me that we're going to be escorting some guy that could potentially be a target of the  _Dark Brotherhood,_ to Whiterun?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you, yes."

"Wyllin, are you fucking  _insane?"_  Honestly, he's asked that question far too many times since they'd been traveling together.

She sighed and leaned against the table on her elbows. "Look, it's only going to be temporary. Once we get to Whiterun, I'm leaving him and anyone else Falk and Elisif wants to be protected in the hands of the other members of the Companions. Gaius Maro is going to be making a lot of trips to the holds aligned with the Empire, and they know that I can't stay with him forever."

"Given the fact we're also going to be accompanied by a couple of Penitus Oculatus agents, I doubt we'll have much trouble," Valdras pointed out. "No one in their right mind would attack a group full of capable warriors just to get at a single man."

Bishop frowned at that. "No one from the Dark Brotherhood is  _in_ their right mind. Part of me wonders if they just kill people for shits and giggles and don't really give a damn about whatever profit they make."

"Speaking of profit, actually..." Wyllin pulled out a large sack from her bag and plopped it onto the table. The sound of clinking metal gave away what was inside. "Falk has paid me in advance to keep this guy safe. Could buy you a lot of drinks over at the Bannered Mare if you come with us, Bishop."

"You talk like I wasn't going to join you anyway. Do you really expect that little of me? I'll at least be able to keep you alive when this inevitably goes to shit." He shook his head. "Though I'll consider my part of the payment as incentive." That had her smiling as she put the sack away again, but that smile vanished when he continued. "And there's also  _other_ ways for you to repay me for this, sweetness."

Valdras gave the two a questioning look as Wyllin groaned and buried her head in her hands. It took a few seconds for him to register just what Bishop meant by that, and he then glared at the Nord. "Could you please not speak to my  _sister_ that way around me?"

The Ranger raised his hands in mock-surrender. "Alright. Whatever. So, when are we going to set out to Dragon Bridge and find this Maro guy?"

"As soon as we get ready and stock up on supplies. Come on."

"I didn't even eat yet."

"Not my fault you got shitfaced and woke up late!" She then stood up and made her way to her room to gather her gear. Once she and her companions were ready, they headed out of the Winking Skeever. Karnwyr immediately perked up when he noticed them walking by and happily ran over to follow behind them. Wyllin giggled as she patted the wolf on the head, and then promised him a nice, fresh cut of meat from the market. After buying the supplies they'd need for their journey, they headed out on the trek to Dragon Bridge.

When they got there, it was late into the afternoon. One of the members of the Penitus Oculatus members noticed their arrival, and then led them into the faction's outpost once she was told who they were. The moment Gaius met them, however, he didn't exactly look pleased by what he saw.

"You're supposed to be my extra bodyguards?" He asked as he eyed the group with clear disgust.

Wyllin crossed her arms. What the fuck was wrong with this guy? "You don't even know who we are or what we can do, and yet you're already judging us?"

"Forgive me for not thinking that two elves, some scruffy Nord, and a flea-bitten mutt could be of any help to me. The Jarl must be out of her mind." He shook his head. "Then again, she's hardly  _fit_ to be Jarl anyway."

"Watch your tongue, boy," One of the other Oculatus agents told him. "You're speaking to the Dragonborn herself. I have little doubt that she alone would be able to keep you safe on this journey."

Gaius turned to the agent, and then back to Wyllin. "Dragonborn? Her?"

"Yes, that's who I am. Would you like a demonstration of my power, sir?" She stared the Imperial down with an indignant expression.

Suddenly, the Imperial became a bit less haughty. "No ma'am! I'm just fine. If Ulfric was able to shout the High King to pieces with his voice, I'd rather not find out what you're capable of doing."

"Smart man. Now, let's get going. I want to get you to Whiterun as soon as possible and we're wasting daylight here." She gestured for him to follow her, though the somewhat peeved look she sported clearly had him on edge. Still, she was  _supposed_ to protect him, right? While she was taking her leave, the agent who knew of her title had stopped her. She turned to face him as the others continued on.

"I'm sorry about my son, ma'am. He can be hard to deal with at the best of times. Hopefully he won't give you any trouble along the way."

"I'll be able to handle him, don't worry." She then laughed and scratched the back of her head. "If I can take dragons out of the sky and devour their souls, I doubt he'd be able to cause me any issues. Thank you for your concern though, Commander Maro."

"Of course, and be safe. I've been trying to locate the Dark Brotherhood to put an end to what they're planning, but it's been rather difficult, though I do have a lead. I'd be accompanying Gaius myself, but he convinced me to follow it instead."

"Hopefully it proves useful. I should get back to everyone else though. Good luck." She then started towards the door again.

Bishop stood just outside of it, leaning back against the wall as he watched Valdras talk to the Oculatus agents. When he noticed Wyllin had finally walked out of the building, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Catch another man's interest already?"

She laughed. "No, nothing like that. He was actually the father of Gaius and just wanted to apologize."

"Ahh... Well, at least I don't need to think about driving my blade through his gut. You're still all mine, princess, whether those assholes like it or not."

"As possessive as ever, I see," She sighed. "Well, it wouldn't have exactly been  _wise_ to attack a member of the Penitus Oculatus anyway."

He shrugged and then pushed himself off of the wall. One of his arms settled around her shoulders, and then pulled her a bit closer to him. "So, off to Whiterun then?"

"Yes. The sooner we're done with this, the better."

* * *

They settled into a decent routine. Someone would go and scout ahead to make sure the path was safe. If danger arose, they'd call out, and that would allow time for the others of the group to prepare. Luckily, nothing worse than bandits and wild animals came their way. This happened for about a week, due to their slow pace and the fact they stuck to the main roads. Another day or so's worth travel and they'd be at the gates to Whiterun, but they decided to settle for the night and continue their journey in the morning. As always, they slept in shifts. At one point, Wyllin would take over, and then Bishop and Karnwyr, and then Valdras if need be. Due to her beast blood, she found it rather hard to get any rest in their current situation, so she often stayed up the longest.

Bishop must've woken up early that night, and he called out to her from the rock she'd climbed up to get a good vantage point from. When she heard his voice, she looked down.

"My turn to take over, ladyship. You really need to start sleeping more."

"It's not like I can help it." She frowned at him, but still climbed down the rock. Maybe it was better if he took over for a while. "Fine. I'll try if it means getting you to shut up about it." Even if she couldn't, she would've at least been able to keep a close eye on the camp. Just as she was about to head back towards it, he grabbed her arm, which immediately had her turning to face him again. "What?"

"Listen, I've been wanting to speak to you about this for a while. Ever since we left Sky Haven - which has been well over a week ago at this point - you've been acting weird, and it's starting to bother me. What the hell happened back there?"

She pulled away from him. Whenever he tried to get her to talk about it before, she always got defensive and refused to speak. Still, it was beginning to put a strain on her... On  _both_ of them. Maybe it was better to actually get what that woman had said off of her mind. "What happened between you and your family?"

Of all the things for her to say, he never would've expected  _that._  "Why are you suddenly interested about that? You never gave a damn before."

She sighed. "When I was on the balcony at the temple, there was this woman who said she knew you. I don't know how the fuck she got up there, or how she even  _knew_ we were at Sky Haven to begin with. She had... Long, dark hair... And blue eyes?"

"Laurissa." Gods  _fucking_ damn it. "Figured that bitch would try to get to you eventually."

"So you two actually  _do_ know each other?"

"Yes, and I wish we didn't. It's a long story, and one I'm not too keen on getting into right now. What does she have to do with my family though?" Part of him knew the answer to that before she even responded.

"She told me what you did to your father."

"She what?" Great, so that bitch was able to find  _that_ shit out about him? Then again, given her profession as an informant, he shouldn't have been surprised as he was.

"Don't play stupid. She told me that you  _killed_ your own father. What on Nirn even drives someone to  _do_ something like that?"

He groaned. "Listen, I didn't have the best of upbringings. I hated most of my family, and I  _especially_ hated my father. If you only knew about the shit he'd done..."

"Why did you do it?" It was pretty clear that she wasn't going to stop until he gave her an actual answer. "Bishop, don't hide this shit from me. You should know better than to do that by now."

"I know, I know. It's just... Look, he was a horrible person, and he did some fucked up shit, even to his own family. Nobody stood up to him though. He had them all too afraid. The only one who did was my older brother, after what that son of a bitch did to..." He paused and sneered. No, that wasn't something he wanted to get into. Not at that point. "That bastard killed my brother - his own  _son._  I did what I did to  _avenge_ him, not just because I hated my father or whatever."

Wyllin just stood there in a stunned silence. Judging by the look on Bishop's face alone, she could tell that she was bringing up bad memories. Still, this wasn't something she could've just... Kept holding in. She moved closer and cupped his cheeks with her hands. "It's fine. You don't need to say anything else. I believe you."

The words her brother told him after what happened with Thorn came back to him again. She was a compassionate person. She was also  _extremely_ easy to talk to, and he still felt that was dangerous. Though, at the same time, it was nice. He was able to get things out that he wouldn't have trusted any other soul with. He let out a shaky breath and held her close against him. Her arms wrapped around him as well, and they stood there in silence for a moment. He only spoke again after they pulled away from each other. "Well, there you go. That's the reason why I did what I did to that asshole. Can you do something for me now in return for this?"

She looked up at him. "What?"

"That woman Laurissa... She's fucking horrible. She lies and manipulates to get what she wants. Even when she's apparently telling the truth, it's never the  _whole_ truth. Don't let anything she says get to you like this again... Please."

"Of course I won't... But I kinda want to know your history with her."

He shook his head. "It's not something I want to get into right now. It's just going to be too much. Just know that she's done some horrible things to get where she is, and she's not afraid to bring people down to achieve her goals."

Well, if they actually knew each other, she'd take his word for it. He didn't exactly have a reason to be dishonest with her, unlike Laurissa. "Alright, but if she starts becoming a problem, I'd at least like to know then."

"We'll see." He kissed the top of her head. "Just try and get some sleep, Wyll. I'm genuinely starting to get worried."

"Fine. I will. Gods." Finally getting that off of her chest definitely helped calm her down. Maybe sleep wasn't such a bad idea. She tugged him down into an actual kiss. After they said their goodnights, she headed off towards the camp, which was barely illuminated by the dying fire. Everyone else there was sleeping soundly by that point. From off in the distance she could see Bishop's shadow as he hopped up onto the rock she'd been on just before. After watching him for a moment or so, she settled her bow and quiver down by the front of their tent and slipped inside. Her daggers were sat down by her bedroll, which she proceeded to flop into.

She was just about to fall asleep when the sound of a snapping twig caught her attention. It couldn't have been Bishop, and no one else was awake. Maybe it was an animal? Well, it was probably better to check. At least she'd chosen to sleep with her armor on during their entire trip to Whiterun. Her daggers were reattached to her sides. Then she stood up and snuck out of the tent. The darkness hindered her ability to make out anything in the distance. Damnit. At least she had something to remedy that.  _"Laas Yah Nir."_

Every figure from the party illuminated around her. Karnwyr must've chosen to sleep during Bishop's shift that night, because she could see him off to the side of the tent. Then there was Valdras, and Gaius, and the two agents. Bishop himself was still settled on the rock. Though there was another form off on the other side of the camp, which was definitely too tall to be any sort of animal. They were settled by a tree from what she could make out. At first, she contemplated getting Bishop, but part of her was concerned about this person simply being a diversion. Her Shout's effects had a range, which they could've been outside of. Damnit. She needed to handle this herself.

She made her way out of the tent and to the area she'd seen the form at as quietly as she could. Apparently, she was quiet enough to not alert them. The moment she was close enough, she tackled them to the ground. Lo and behold, it  _was_ a person, and she could make out the armor of the Brotherhood even in the low light. The majority of the assassin's body was covered, save for his eyes. It was a hard struggle, and fairly short lived. She was soon on her back, with him pinning her to the ground. She let out a growl as he lowered the mask covering his face.

One of his fingers was brought to his mouth, as though he was shushing her. He then spoke to her in a quiet voice. "Quiet down."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't alert every damn person in the camp."

"I'm not here for you."

"No, you're after the person I'm supposed to be protecting. I can't let you-" She was cut off when his gloved hand was pressed against her mouth. With her arms pinned under his weight, she was kind of powerless in her current position. Gods, she  _hated_ feeling powerless.

"Listen, I don't want to harm anyone I don't have to harm. Especially if that person is actually  _important_ to this province." He knew about her? Fantastic. The word's even reached Skyrim's murderfiends. "We have a strict plan, and I'm going to stick to that."

One of her arms managed to wiggle itself free, and she used it to shove his hand away from her face. "And why the fuck should I care? The shit you're doing is  _harming_ Skyrim."

"We're not doing this to harm Skyrim. We're doing this as a blow to the Empire as a whole."

"The fuck do you mean by that?" A blow to the Empire? Clearly the members of the Brotherhood were completely out of their minds.

"Don't worry about that. Just know that our employer believes this to be for the betterment of Tamriel."

"Sounds more like a grab for political power. Sorry to tell you, but this asshole's plan ends here." Just as she was about to cry out for help, his hand was over her mouth again, and the other held her once-freed wrist above her head.

"Even if you kill me here, more are going to come, and they'll be much less forgiving. Make this easy on yourself and let me go. Keep the members of your guild away in Whiterun and no one you actually give a damn about will be harmed." Though her words were muffled, the assassin could vaguely make out "why should I". "Because we can help each other. You're after something, and you have been for a long time. It's been ages since I've been to Valenwood, but I was there to learn of what happened with your family."

Her eyes widened. Valenwood? How the fuck would he know about  _anything_ involving her old business in her homelands? Or her family? Suddenly the way he spoke began to sink in. His accent... It was distinctly from an area within the province, despite the fact what little she was able to see showed he was Altmer. He was  _from_ Valenwood though. When his hand was moved away, she found herself only able to sputter out the word "what".

"I know some people who can give you information on the Silver Crescents. Let me go and we'll both benefit from this."

"You planned this encounter with me, didn't you?" Of course he did. Trying to take down Gaius while he was in the protection of any of the Companion members would prove to be a challenge. Of all the people to try and bribe though...

"That's not important. I'm giving you something you want in exchange for allowing me to carry out my contract." He knew that she still wasn't convinced. "I was told to wait until he's in a major city. You have until you reach Whiterun to decide. Just let him out of your sights for long enough and, once he's dead, come find me. I'll tell you what you need to know."

"And just how do I know you'll actually do good on your 'promise'?"

"An astute observation. I suppose you'll have to see when the time comes. Regardless, my point still stands. Killing me won't do much. Another member of the Brotherhood will just come in my place. You have more to lose than gain from stopping me here."

She had the feeling he was right, but letting him go felt wrong. She  _knew_ that the Brotherhood was going to take out Gaius one way or another, and she was only delaying an inevitable end. This one was claiming that he'd do it with as few needless casualties as possible, though it felt weird to think of a member of a guild made up of literal  _murderers_ as having any form of morality. Maybe she was wrong about those assumptions?

The assassin had begun to grow impatient. "So, what'll it be?"

She grumbled a few profanities under her breath and looked away from him, and then let out a sigh of resignation. "Fine. Get out of here, and don't let me catch you wandering around again."

He chuckled as though he didn't take her threat seriously. "Always wise to recognize when you don't have a choice, right? I'll be seeing you around then, Dragonborn." After he got up, he used his magic to vanish into thin air. The sound of his quiet footsteps as he made his escape let her know it was only invisibility.

For a while, she just stood there, frowning in the direction he'd gone. Something inside of her felt as though letting him go was a bad idea. Actually, she  _knew_ it was a bad idea. Still, he was right. She didn't have a choice. The Brotherhood would kill him regardless. She eventually shook her head and made her way back to her tent. Sleep was impossible. Her mind just raced for the entire night. Even when Valdras took over, feeling Bishop by her side did little to comfort her. Nothing could ease the guilt she felt inside.

Oh well. There wasn't much to be done at that point.


	43. Invasion

Wyllin tried her best to not act weird. It was bad enough that she'd already had Bishop and Valdras worried after Sky Haven. While she was all smiles and playfulness on the outside, there was still hell going on inside of her head. Still, they were inside the city walls soon enough. Admittedly, the amount of Imperial soldiers lingering around was a bit odd. Balgruuf had remained neutral in the war thus far, so seeing him change that all of a sudden... Well, that was none of their business.

A few drinks at the Bannered Mare would be enough to calm Wyllin down, surely. After several long nights out on the road, she was at  _least_ going to enjoy a comfortable bed for once. Goodbyes were said to Gaius as he headed off in the direction of Dragonsreach. The elf tried to keep the sinking feeling of knowing she'd never see him alive again under wraps. It boiled in the pit of her stomach though. She figured it was better to calm her nerves before speaking to the Companions about the plans she'd discussed with Falk. Give that damned assassin time to get his job done before one of her own got in the way and was inevitably taken out as well.

Why was she letting that happen, again?

Those thoughts were shoved to the back of her mind for the time being. It was out of her control, after all. She instead focused on snaking her way through the crowded Bannered Mare in order to track down Hulda or Saadia. Meanwhile, Bishop had taken a seat by the fire and Valdras decided to do... Gods only know what. Crowded areas had always made him anxious to some degree, especially when in a foreign land. It was funny to see someone so normally collected get so antsy, and his sisters had always teased him about it. Though that discomfort was about to grow tenfold as a woman approached him.

"Hey there, handsome," A sultry voice spoke. "Haven't seen your face before. Are you new around here?"

When Valdras realized she was talking to him, he turned to face the source of the voice. She was a young woman with hardly any clothes to speak of. While most men might've been interested, it would seem that Valdras was mostly confused. "Hello. I'm new, yes. Actually, I'm just visiting family in the province."

"A foreigner then? How exotic." The woman gave him a not-so subtle smirk as she looked him over. "I could make this visit a little more enjoyable, if you're up for it."

The elf furrowed his brow. "I'm... Not quite sure if I understand what you mean by that, ma'am."

"I could show you." She hooked her one arm around his, and then rested the hand of her other on his arm. "Care to follow me?"

It was at that point that he apparently caught on and quickly slipped from her grasp. He put both of his hands up and laughed awkwardly. "Look, miss, I appreciate the offer but I'm not really interested. I should be getting back to my sister and her partner."

"Oh come on. Just slip away with me for a while. I'll have you back before you're missed."

"No, I really must decline." He was actively looking for an out by that point. It was clear that this stranger didn't understand the meaning of the word 'no', and politely declining wouldn't get him anywhere. Where was his sister when he needed her? He could've easily excused himself to catch up with her if she was actually around... Luckily, an out eventually came to him in the form of a certain Nord he'd gotten to know in his time in Skyrim.

"Something wrong?" Bishop asked as he walked towards the two. The eyes of the woman propositioning Valdras immediately shifted to him, and the sight of this damned woman had him frowning. "Gods, not you again."

"Hmm? Well, if it isn't the dashing Ranger." Neeshka's smirk turned to a grin as she faced him and crossed her arms. "Did the little dog that was practically humping your leg the last time we met finally stop chasing you?"

He mirrored her stance and glared down at her. "I really wouldn't go speaking about her that way."

"So she hasn't then?" Her attention was brought away from the newcomer and focused on Bishop. "I could've been so much better for you than her."

"I  _highly_ doubt that. You've undoubtedly bedded so many men that they'd hardly feel anything when they're with you, and Gods only know what you've caught from them as well." He shook his head. "I'd get lost if I were you, flea."

"Or what? She's going to find us and have a go at me in front of all these guards? She'd be a fool to try!"

"Would I now?" Wyllin's voice had Neeshka freezing in her tracks. All three of them looked over at her. "I think you'd better watch what you say. I've got sensitive hearing."

"Oh, so the mutt has good ears?" The wench rolled her eyes. "Good for you. What I say still stands."

The Bosmer groaned. "Oh please, as if these men would jump to your aid. I'd imagined you've propositioned more than a few of them, and then fucked 'em over right after. No one's going to come to your aid, bitch. Now, you better turn around and crawl back into your hole before things get ugly for you."

"Ugly?" Neeshka cackled at that. "What are you going to do, huh?"

Valdras was getting antsy. He knew of his sister's protective side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wyll, I think it's best that-"

She raised her own hand to silence him before responding to Neeshka. "You didn't learn your lesson from last time, did you? I'll gladly give you a refresher if you keep this up."

"You don't scare me, dog. Lay a hand on me and you'll regret it."

Wyllin was the one to cackle that time. "Awfully tough talk coming from a scrawny little whore. Keep that up and I'll tear you a new asshole." After she said that, the wench shoved her. Just like the last time she made a move, Wyllin was quick to retaliate, and wasn't about to go easy. Neeshka was lucky that she missed her initial strike. There wasn't a chance in Oblivion that her face would've been able to recover from the marks the Bosmer's claw-like nails could've left. Another attempt was made, that time with a close-fisted punch, and it collided right in the middle of her face. There was a loud cracking sound, which told anyone who heard it that her nose was undoubtedly broken.

Neeshka reeled back, clutching at her face. Blood stained the bottom of her left hand as it tried to escape out from under it. She glared at the elf, who had a satisfied smirk on her face. "You'll pay for that." It was  _really_ hard for her to be taken seriously when she was holding her nose.

Wyllin raised an eyebrow at her 'threat'. "Do you really want to try that again? I'll break more than your nose if you take so much as a step closer."

The wench sneered. "I'll wipe that smug look right off your face."

She immediately noticed her go for the dagger at her hip. That bitch was about to draw a weapon on her? Big mistake. She immediately lunged and tackled the woman to the ground. The elf's nimble fingers quickly disarmed her, and then the blade was pressed to her throat. "Don't pull this stunt on anyone again, especially if they're a fucking  _trained warrior._ You might not live to regret it next time." The blade was then driven deep into the wooden board next to Neeshka's head. Afterwards, Wyllin stood back up and stepped away from the shaken wench.

Everyone around was stunned by the scene that'd just happened. From off in the crowd, someone had called out. "Wooh! Stick it to that bitch!" That undoubtedly pissed off Neeshka further, but she chose to pull her dagger from the board and hastily make her way out of the tavern. Smart. Not long after, things began to liven up again.

"Surprise you didn't try to kill her again," Bishop told her as she settled down next to him once more.

"I mean, I probably  _wouldn't_ have killed her last time..."

The Nord shook his head. "Knowing what I know about you now, you would've killed her and half the damn tavern-"

"Quiet, you!" She hissed. "I'm going back to finding someone to get our orders. Hopefully that bitch has given up for the night."

"You go ahead and do that." After Wyllin headed off, Bishop returned to his seat by the fire.

Valdras joined him soon after and sighed. "She didn't  _have_ to do that."

Bishop shrugged. "The lady's protective, and that wench has caught her ire before. I'm surprised she pulled that little stunt... And I'm surprised Wyll went as easy on her as she did." As if what she'd done could've been considered 'easy' at all. His eyes shifted towards the elf. "She ever step in for you back in Valenwood when some whore got all in your business?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, most back home find my presence... Unnerving at the very least."

"Can't understand why, Jaqspur or not."

"Well, it's more because of my family. Ever since the Oblivion Crisis, 'Springlock' has been a household name. My siblings and I descend from war heroes. It'd take a particularly brave or foolish soul back home to do something like that woman had done. Luckily, no one brave or foolish enough has ever attempted."

"So you come from a long line of famous heroes then? No wonder your sister was 'born with the soul of a dragon' or whatever. Seems like an easy choice for Akatosh."

"Err, I wouldn't say 'long line'. My parents were the ones who aided in the war. They were there to seal most of the portals in Grahtwood, actually, and even a few in other areas."

"Your... Parents?" Bishop frowned. "But the Oblivion Crisis was over two hundred years ago, right? How old  _are_ they?"

"Older than you'd think if you saw them. They've gained Y'ffre's favor because of their part in the Crisis, as did a few of their comrades. It's not exactly natural for Bosmer to live as long as they have, and even more so to not completely  _show_ that age, but having the favor of the Green itself has plenty of benefits. Come to think of it though, my mother's side has always had some special connection to it even before then..." Valdras shook his head. "But none of that is really important. Not here. Nobody knows me, and I find that somewhat refreshing. No real standards to live up to."

The Nord laughed. "Until they find out you're the Dragonborn's  _brother."_

"Yeah..."

"I'd hate to interrupt your conversation, but I finally tracked down Saadia." The suddenness of Wyllin's presence had both of the men jumping. Where the fuck had she come from? How long had she been listening? That woman was terrifyingly stealthy when she wanted to be.

Before either could respond, Saadia piped up. "I heard you were looking for someone to take your order? Sorry about the delay. We're rather busy, despite the fact it's so early on in the day."

Wyllin looked around and nodded. "Most of these people are Imperial soldiers too. What's going on with that? I thought the Jarl wanted to stay neutral."

Saadia sighed. "He did, but then he learned of how Ulfric planned to take the city by force. If it means keeping us all safe, he'll do anything, no matter the cost. Luckily, the only cost was him swallowing his pride and taking Tullius' offer to garrison troops."

Ulfric was planning to take over Whiterun? That had Wyllin frowning. "Well, at least he's actually thinking properly. It was only a matter of time before someone made a move. I'm not surprised it was Ulfric."

"Mhmm. Anyway, your order?"

"Oh, right..." She laughed awkwardly and told Saadia what she wanted. Once Bishop and Valdras did as well, the waitress walked off to go prepare everything. Soon enough, the three were enjoying their meals. Bishop had ordered a slice of raw beef to give to Karnwyr once they headed back out, which was pretty soon after they ate so Wyllin could get the message about Falk's plans to the Companions. After gathering the Circle together and discussing what to do, the group spent the rest of the day in Jorrvaskr, which obviously meant a lot of drinking and partying.

A thoroughly inebriated Wyllin spent a good portion of her time getting handsy with her lover. Meanwhile, her very sober brother had Aela to deal with yet again. Unlike Neeshka, Wyllin knew her Shield-Sister didn't mean any sort of harm. In fact, she got the suspicion that Valdras was beginning to enjoy Aela's company, which had her happy for the woman. Aela hadn't exactly been open to even just getting flirtatious with anyone since the death of Skjor. Even if she didn't mean anything by it when she messed with the often completely oblivious Bosmer, the fact she was beginning to come out of that shell for once was nice to see.

Wyllin and Bishop had retreated to her room in Jorrvaskr a bit early on that night. It seemed as though she was pretty damn determined to take things further than they'd gotten the last time they were there. Honestly, the Ranger couldn't even complain. After everything that'd been thrown at them, he was pretty eager to embrace his more simple and primal urges... And he found it hard to even consider the possibility of saying no to the little elf that'd managed to pin him against the bed and already had him half-stripped out of his armor. Gods, that woman worked fast. Soon enough, she found herself under him, trying to keep quiet, which turned out to be a struggle with how roughly he fucked her. Hopefully the commotion going on up above was enough to drown out what noises he could pull from her.

She slept easier that night than she had in a good while.

* * *

When she woke up the next day, she noticed he was already sitting up in the bed. The little elf smirked as she shifted to wrap her arms around him from behind. He looked back at her as she nuzzled against his skin.

"Morning."

"Mhh. Morning."

"How you holding up."

"Headache, but not as bad as last time. You?"

"Alright. Mostly just feeling those scratches you left on me last night. Crazy woman." He reached back and pulled her onto his lap.

She giggled and placed a kiss against his stubbled cheek as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Don't try to tell me you didn't enjoy it."

"Never said that I didn't." He grinned and pulled her closer against him. "In fact, I could go for another round or two."

"Of course you could. I don't think anyone needs to hear that though. Chances are they're all in worse states than we are." He probably didn't give a damn. "Besides, I'd like to get a bath. Unlike you, I'd rather not stink of sex and wet dog all day."

"Day's still young, sweetness. I think you can wait on that a little longer."

She groaned. "If you had it your way, I wouldn't be getting anything done today  _at all."_

"You're not wrong." His hands trailed along the skin on her sides, which had her shuddering. "We don't have to deal with Gaius anymore. It's not like Delphine gave you any sort of time constraint when it came to those Blades. The world itself isn't in danger of coming to an end right now. I think it'll be fine if we took a little time off, don'cha think? If anything, I'd say we fucking deserve it." He had a point. She couldn't deny that.

She rested her head against his chest and sighed. "Yeah. That'd be nice. I know of somewhere in Falkreath that's always been cut off from the rest of the world... Gods. I haven't thought about that place in a while." She hadn't even set foot in there since becoming Dragonborn, actually. Damn... Time had a way of flying by as of late. "Still, it's nice and quiet, and we can be alone. Who knows what we could get up to."

"I like the sound of that."

"I figured you would, but I have things to get done first. After that, we can escape for a little while. Just a man and his woman..." Her eyes then shifted to the sleeping form of a wolf off in the corner of the room. He must've been brought down there at some point after they'd tired themselves out. "And their dog."

 _"Wolf,_  ladyship."

She chuckled. "Semantics. Anyways, what do you say?"

"I can live with that, but..." He pushed her off of him and onto her back. "I'm still not letting you go just yet." One hand held her against the bed while the other gripped at her side.

"Gods damnit!" She was a giggling mess under him. Her head tilted to the side as he placed kisses against her neck. The hand at her side moved away to slowly trail along the inner part of her thigh. She squirmed as he inched closer to the spot between her legs. When she finally felt them grazing against her through her underwear, she almost instinctively pressed herself against his hand. Honestly, her attempt at rejecting his advances was half-hearted at best. He probably knew that she was on board with fooling around for a little longer. No, he  _definitely_ knew. She was always a lot more stern when she wasn't in the mood. "Mhh... Bishop..." Her fingers laced through his hair. "I love you..."

He pulled away to look into her eyes. "Love you too." Just as he was about to pull her underwear down, something caught the attention of both of them. Even Karnwyr had woken up from the sound. What on Nirn... "War horns? What the fuck's going on?"

"I don't know," She responded. "But they don't normally go off unless something serious is going down. I don't think I've ever heard them before..." After getting him to move off of her, she quickly got to putting her armor on, and he did the same. Once she was fully dressed, she rushed towards the exit of the room, grabbing her weapons and cloak along the way.

The first person to greet her was Aela, who'd been standing not too far off from the door. Her eyes quickly shot towards the elf. "Harbinger, I was just about to get you. I assume you heard that as well."

"Yeah. What's going on up there?"

"I don't know. I just woke up. It doesn't sound good though. Go investigate and I'll alert the rest of the Circle."

She nodded and took off towards the exit, with Bishop struggling to keep up. When she finally got outside, the entire city was in chaos. At first, it looked like the apocalypse was going down. She managed to catch an Imperial soldier's attention when she grabbed onto his shirt. "What's happening?"

"The Stormcloaks," He responded. "Those bastards finally got the gall to attack Whiterun. Legate Rikke predicted this would happen. The Jarl should be lucky that he finally listened to her before it was too late."

Wyllin swore under her breath as the soldier continued on towards the gate. When she turned around, she noticed Aela standing by the doors to Jorrvaskr. She was accompanied by the other Circle members, along with Bishop, Karnwyr, and Valdras.

"The Stormcloaks are attacking?" Aela asked. "I never thought they'd work up the courage."

The elf nodded. "We need to do something."

"It's time for you to pick a side, Wyllin, just like the Jarl has," Vilkas told her as he drew his blade. "We're with you, no matter which one you choose."

Honestly, she never wanted to pick. The war wasn't hers to fight and she'd managed to remain neutral up until that point. That wasn't an option anymore. Her fingers curled into fists and a sneer crept its way across her face. Damnit. "Defend Whiterun. Keep the invaders out. Athis, Bryete, get the townspeople to safety and make sure they stay indoors. Vilkas, Aela, Farkas, we need to get out there and help the Legion."

"As you wish," Aela said as she drew her bow. She gestured for the brothers to follow her as she bolted towards the gate. Athis and Bryete parted ways. One went into the Wind District and the other went to the Plains.

Just as Wyllin was about to get moving as well, someone grabbed onto her shoulder. She looked back to see Bishop and frowned. "You're not stopping me."

He laughed. "I'm not stupid enough to try, but you're not heading out there without us." He looked back towards Valdras, who already had an arrow notched in his bow. "Looks like we got a city to defend, ladyship. Hope you're ready."

She smirked and turned back to the gate. "Let's go then." She then headed off with Bishop and Valdras in tow. Karnwyr must've been told to stay back in Jorrvaskr because he was nowhere in sight. That was probably for the best. As soon as they were outside, they all sought out some form of height advantage. By that point, the invaders had already started attacking. Somewhere off in the distance, cannons must've been firing, as she saw balls of flame being launched into the city. Shit.

Archers were lining the walls, and Aela was among them. When she noticed the three approaching, she paused her firing for a couple of seconds and looked towards them. "Glad you three could make it. We need all the help we can get. There's more of Ulfric's boys than anyone could have anticipated."

Wyllin looked off into the distance and frowned. She was right. "I didn't know he had this many men to spare... And he's nowhere in sight."

"Figures the bastard would stay out of this and force everyone else to fight without him." The Nord woman took aim at one of the soldiers who drew to close and fired, striking him in the neck. "At least we have you three here to help."

"Always a pleasure." Wyllin pulled back an arrow and aimed at one of the attackers. Bishop and Valdras had already begun to attack as well. It appeared as though the latter hadn't lost his touch. He was firing at a fairly impressive rate, which caught the attention of a few of the other archers, which Aela soon barked at to continue attacking.

The defense seemed to be holding on fairly well. The Imperials and Whiterun guard were clearly outnumbered, even with the help of the Companion members that'd exited the city. Still, they pushed forward, taking out as many Stormcloaks as possible. A few of the ranged aggressors must've gotten smart and tried shooting at the archers hanging out on the walls... And immediately regretted it when said archers began to make a target out of them in specific. On of them had gotten lucky though. From off to her side, Wyllin heard someone cry out in pain. She turned and her eyes widened.

"Valdras!"

The other Bosmer was clutching his shoulder as he stumbled backwards. An arrow was jutting from the wound. He crumpled to his knees, and his bow clattered onto the ground by him. Wyllin immediately rushed over. He looked towards his sister and shook his head. "Get back out there. They need you."

"Gods damnit. I'm not going to just leave you like this!"

"I'll be fine, Wyllin.  _Go."_

She glanced towards Bishop, who'd stopped firing and was looking towards them. "Get him inside the walls."

"I'm not going to-"

She growled and her voice became more demanding. "Get him inside!"

The Nord immediately rushed towards her brother's aid. He helped him back to his feet and led him back into Whiterun.

In the meantime, Wyllin made her way towards the edge of the wall again. "Seems like there's no end to these assholes. It's like Ulfric got half the men and women in Skyrim to attack this place. Shit..." She frowned. "I have an idea."

Aela eyed her skeptically. "What would that be?"

The elf took a step back and looked up towards the sky. Maybe what she was about to do wasn't necessarily the  _greatest_ idea, but she needed to do something. She took a deep breath and then called out for an ally.  _"RII-NAH-TOOR!"_  Her Thu'um bellowed into the skies above, and had many of the soldiers stopping what they were doing. Their eyes turned towards her for a brief moment. Just when the bloodshed was about to resume, the telltale sounds of a dragon approaching stopped them once more.

 _"Dovahkiin!"_  Riinahtoor called out as he neared the city. He flew towards her and hover just ahead of her, flapping his wings to keep him in the air. "You have called upon me, and I have come. What would you ask of me,  _thuri?"_

"I could use a bit of help with these invaders." She gestured towards the army of Stormcloaks that'd stopped their fighting in order to gawk at what she'd just done.

The dragon looked towards the surprised group of warriors.  _"Meyus joorre_  and their petty politics. I care very little for them, but I shall do as you command.  _Hin hind uthi."_  He then dove to the ground and landed in the middle of the frey. His Thu'um summoned forth a gout of flames, which had several of the Stormcloaks making an attempt to get out of the way. A few of them weren't exactly lucky and were caught in the blaze.

Wyllin traded her bow for her daggers and then found the safest route around the walls and down to Riinahtoor's side. A few brave souls dared to get close to the dragon as he was charging up another attack. Any of the ones who didn't have arrows lodged into them were sliced to shreds by the Dragonborn's blades.

Apparently, having a dragon on the Legion's side turned the fight in their favor. Any of the remaining Stormcloaks soon fled to avoid being charred alive. When it was clear that the battle was won, many of the remaining soldiers and guards began to cheer. As they did, the Bosmer's attention was turned to her dragon ally.

"You fight with just as much  _ahkrin,_ courage, as you did when we met. While I do not appreciate being summoned to aid you with petty squabbles between  _joorre,_  I am still humbled by your resolve. It is an honor to call you  _thuri, Dovahkiin."_

She scratched the back of her head and offered him an awkward smile. "I... Uhh... Thanks?"

"Your  _qalos,_  influence, is beginning to make waves among others of my kind. Many are impressed, but some view you as a threat. They are not fond of the thought that a  _joor_ may be more powerful than they are.  _Honi prodah._  I fear some of the  _dov_ may try to challenge you in the future - ones more powerful than those you've faced before."

"I'll try to stay alive then."

Riinahtoor gave her an amused laugh. "I have little doubt that you will be able to. I just wanted to deliver the message. If you have no further use for me, I will leave. It appears that many of your  _fahdon_ have become anxious in my presence."

"Yeah, that might be for the best. Until next time, Riinahtoor.'

 _"Krif voth ahkrin."_  He then launched himself in the air and took off towards the mountains. She watched him as he left, completely unaware of the fact someone was approaching her.

"That was quite a show, Dragonborn." The sound of Jarl Balgruuf's voice startled her. "Summoning a dragon by my city was a bold move... No, a  _crazy_ one. Though, in the end, he turned the tide in our favor. Whiterun is, yet again, in your debt."

"Well... I'll let you know if I'll ever need you to repay that. For right now... Just keep this place safe. The Stormcloaks could attack again, and I might not be here to help."

"I'll be sending word to Tullius for any spare reinforcements in the morning. Thank you for your aid. I know you could've just as easily sided with the Stormcloaks."

"Ehh... No. Honestly, Ulfric and I aren't really on the best of terms..."

"What do you mean by that?"

She shook her head. "It's a long story, my Jarl. Regardless, I would've never helped him. In fact, I would've rather just continued remaining neutral. Seems like I really did have to choose a side at the end of the day."

"I understand that. I wished for Whiterun to be the same, but Ulfric forced my hand, just like he did yours. Anyways, I need to address the others and congratulate them on this victory. Feel free to return to whatever you might've been doing before the war horns sounded."

"Right..." As Balgruuf turned away, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. There was a small flash of black and red. She immediately knew who it was. At least it was pretty easy for a tiny Bosmer to slip away in the commotion that was going on. Most of the Imperials and Whiterun Guard had their attention turned towards the Jarl, after all. She trailed the figure until they were out of sight of any potential prying eyes. Admittedly, she didn't feel safe, and kept a hand on one of her daggers. "Alright assassin, come out."

It was the same one she'd met a few nights back. He pulled his mask down and his hood back to reveal his face. Gods... He must've been just barely out of his teenage years. They really liked starting their members out young. "That was definitely something, was it not? I never would've anticipated such a bold move from Ulfric."

"Yeah, whatever. Why are you still around?"

"I'm here to keep my end of the deal..." He paused. "Well, that, and the fact this invasion set me back a little. I saw the soldiers gathering around the city last night and it deterred me from acting the moment I had the chance. Rest assured that I got to him when everyone was too busy cowering in fear within those busted up walls."

"Great..." She rolled her eyes.

"That invasion also helped to push the narrative we're going for as well, but that's not important. What  _is_ important is the fact you've helped me."

"You mean I didn't kill you."

He shrugged. "Same difference. Look, I'm not your enemy here. Us meeting one another was just an unfortunate circumstance. I didn't want to harm you or the ones you were traveling with. Anyways..." He reached into a pouch at his side and fished something out of it. "I have something for you. It might not be a direct answer to what you're undoubtedly seeking, but it can buy you that information if you know where to go." He placed a small bag into her hand.

"Buy me information? From who?"

"You're looking for information on thieves, right? What better place to go than their associates? As it turns out, there's a guild right here in Skyrim."

She sneered. "You want me to seek out Riften's Thieves' Guild?" He was joking, right?

"Ah yes, I've heard of your strict moral code. Look, Dragonborn, if you want to find out about your sister, you're going to have to go through them. I can assure you not every guild is like the Crescents."

She snorted at that comment. "I find that hard to believe. Why are you even helping me anyway? What do you have to gain from this?"

He sighed. "I have my reasons. They're not important. Should you ever decide to pursue this, seek out Mercer Frey. He's the guildmaster. Anyways, I believe this is where we part ways. I don't see us meeting again in the future. Good luck out there." She didn't have time to respond. He'd already turned invisible and vanished off to Gods only know where.

That just left her standing there, staring at the small pouch he'd given her. Part of her just wanted to toss it into the nearby steam and be done with it all. Associating with the Thieves' Guild? That went against everything she was. Still, for whatever reason, she decided to pocket that little pouch, without even bothering to look at what was inside. Then she turned around and made her way back up to Whiterun.

"Just where on Nirn did you disappear off to?" Bishop asked when he saw her walking towards the gate. He stood there with Valdras, who seemed to have completely healed up his wound.

"I just needed a breather," She responded, not even daring to look either of them in the eyes. Instead, she just walked past them. "I want to get out of here and back onto the road as soon as possible. I'm getting my stuff and we're heading out today."

Valdras and Bishop looked at each other as she walked by. Both of them were concerned. Still, it was hard to press her for information, and they ultimately came to the conclusion that the battle just had her stressed out. Frankly, neither of them wanted to remain in Whiterun for much longer either. So they just quietly followed her as she made her way to Jorrvaskr.

When they got in, they were immediately greeted by Aela, who had a grim expression on her face. She informed them that Gaius had been killed at some point during all the chaos, undoubtedly by the Dark Brotherhood. On top of that, a note was found on his body. Apparently he'd been conspiring with the Stormcloaks to kill the Emperor. Rumors about it were already beginning to spread, and some were even secretly relieved that he was taken out before his plans could be carried out. While Wyllin knew the actually story behind it, she feigned shock and relief. So that's what that assassin was sent to do? What kind of shit pot were they stirring?

Actually, she really  _didn't_ want to know.


	44. Misfits of Riften

Well, Fultheim turned out to be a bust. Wyllin had gotten him to admit his former association with the Blades at least, but wasn't able to get much further than that. He was completely unwilling to join up with the reformed group. She couldn't exactly blame him though. There wasn't much of it to give a damn about. Regardless, she trusted him enough to leave him with information about Sky Haven, should he ever change his mind. Not long after that, she was back out on the road with her little group and on her way to Riften to hopefully find the last member they were after.

Ever since the invasion of Whiterun, Wyllin had been extremely cautious around any Stormcloak soldiers they came across as they went through Eastmarch. Honestly, it was a perfectly normal reaction, given what she'd gone through, and it definitely helped disguise a very different reason for her uneasiness. None of them attacked, thankfully. Maybe word hadn't spread around enough by that point? Whatever.

As they neared Ivarstead, which had been their intended resting point during their journey, Wyllin had fallen a bit behind the other two. She idly messed with the pouch she'd been given by that assassin a few days back. She had so much time to think about it, but the thought of going against her morals in such a way felt... Sickening. While she was lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed a certain Ranger had slowed down until he was beside her.

"Something wrong, ladyship?" His voice had her jolting back to reality.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Whiterun was just a lot to take in." In more ways than one. "Sorry."

"No need to apologize. I understand." He sighed. Then his eyes shifted downwards to what was in her hands. "What's that?"

Fuck. That was still there. "It's just a gift someone had given me after the Stormcloak invasion... As a way of saying thanks for my help." Well, she wasn't  _completely_ lying. There was nothing wrong in withholding the whole truth every once in a while, right?

"A gift?" He frowned. "Please tell me you didn't attract  _another_ lovesick admirer."

She laughed and shook her head. As possessive as always. "Far from it." The 'gift' was slipped back into her side pouch. "Don't worry. I think you should know by now that you're the only one I have eyes for."

"Of course, but you could still prove it to me."

"Ugh." She nudged his arm. "It was already a risk to do that when my brother was around before. I'm not about to try it again." It wasn't as though he didn't  _know_ about their antics, but it was a completely different thing for him to just walk in on it going down. Forget dragons or dremora or Stormcloaks, she would've probably died from the embarrassment of that kind of situation alone.

"Hmm? Don't worry about that. I miiiight've been able to convince him to go on to Ivarstead without us for the night. You know, the path to a certain place is only a  _little_ further down the road..."

"Nilheim."

He nodded. "Why don't we go ahead and see if it's been infested with bandits or something in our absence. My blade arm's getting rusty." That probably would never be the case again. At least not when he traveled with a woman who apparently had some sort of target on her back that attracted bandits, dragons, and everything in between.

"Alright then. Lead the way, my prince." She followed him as he took a detour across a bridge and up a hill. Luckily enough, nobody else had set up camp. Though it appeared that things had recently been cleaned out. Nothing more than a spent fire and various sorts of useless camping paraphernalia remained as proof of life, however. That made settling down somewhat easy, at least. Karnwyr had gotten distracted with chasing after some type of forest critter while Wyllin and Bishop set everything up.

The elf settled down in the part of Nilheim she liked best. The overlook always made for a beautiful view, and reminded her of what she saw from the treetops of Graht-oaks from her homelands. A moment of peace had been hard to come by in more recent times. Even back in Jorrvaskr, things had been too lively for her to completely settle down. That tranquility was interrupted when an arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her from her trance. She glanced over towards Bishop, and then sighed contently and she rested against him. "Good to be away from the world for once."

"Mhmm. Never thought your lifestyle would leave so little room for these kinds of escapes. I guess I should've expected that from the start."

"Yeah..." Honestly, a part of her was beginning to dislike the lifestyle she had. Maybe he was getting to her... Or maybe the world as a whole was. Either way, her stubbornness wasn't about to let that seed of resentment take root. Despite what the world had been throwing at her, she was far from ready to settle down.

"It'd be nice if we could do this more often..."

"Are you trying to hint at something? You already know my answer."

"I know, I know. You're the headstrong savior of this pitiful world, despite the fact it doesn't deserve you." Sometimes he wondered if even  _he_ did, but he refused to acknowledge that thought for the time being. "You're not going to back down until you know all of Tamriel is safe, despite the fact it never  _will_ be safe. Whatever. I just wish you wouldn't constantly wear yourself out. I... Care for you. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know that." She then smirked. "No man would put up with my bullshit if he didn't, no matter how good I might be in bed."

That had him smirking as well. "Gotta admit, it's definitely a bonus. Now, if only that was a more common occurrence..."

"Maybe once this world finally lets me catch my breath."

"It's not like we're out saving it right now."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Is that the only thing on your mind anymore?"

"You make it pretty hard to think about anything else." He hooked his arm around her and then pulled her onto his lap. A brief kiss was placed on her lips, and then he moved towards her neck. His hands settled at her waist and began to fiddle with the clasps on her cuirass. When her hands rested over his, he pulled back and gave her a curious look.

"Maybe later." Alright, he could live with that. She then moved and ran its fingers through his hair. "You're getting scruffy, you know that?"

He laughed. "Well, the past few days haven't exactly left me much time to keep up my appearance. Forgive me for lapsing on my morning routine."

"Hmm. Might want to pick it back up soon. Not sure how well you'd look with a 'true Nord's' beard." The thought alone had her giggling quietly. "Though you might not look too bad with longer hair." When she said that, he immediately grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from his head. Her expression went from mildly confused to somewhat concerned.

He sneered and averted his gaze. "I doubt I'd look even remotely  _okay_ like that."

She furrowed her brow. That response was pretty hostile. Why did he react that way to something so small? "It was just a thought. Besides, you look cute with it short."

"Cute?!" He shook his head. "Ladyship, sometimes I wonder how your mind works... Or if it even works at all."

She scoffed and playfully nudged his shoulder. "You're one to talk."

_"Excuse me?"_

"You started it!"

He rolled his eyes and grumbled incomprehensibly under his breath. "I'll see about taming back my facial hair in the morning. Right now, I think I could go for something to eat. Preferably something other than the barely seasoned meat you cook when your brother's with us."

"Not my fault Bosmeri diets are limited due to our meat mandate back in Valenwood. The only thing we regularly use outside of whatever we hunt are spices traded to us by the Khajiit from Elsweyr. I only expanded my own dietary habits  _after_ I left." She shifted off of him and stood up. "I can probably scrounge around the forest and find something for us, if that'll  _appease_ you." The way she said that had him giving her an unamused look, which she ignored. "Care to join me?"

"Sure, why not? We should probably get this done before the sun completely sets." He got to his feet and smirked down at her. "Care to make this a competition?"

"I know where you're going with that, Bishop. No. Come on. We should also probably track down Karnwyr as well." She headed towards the steps that'd lead out of Nilheim, grabbing her bow and quiver along the way. After looking back to make sure that Gods forsaken Nord was following her, she descended the steps and headed out of the crumbling tower.

* * *

Before they even got through the gates, it was clear that Riften was seeing a lot of traffic that day. With the war reaching the apparent boiling point, the major cities were getting more busy, though the majority of the people there looked to be Stormcloaks. The amount of soldiers left the three on edge, which made Karnwyr somewhat jittery as well.

Wyllin frowned as she looked around the city. "How are we supposed to find this woman in this mess?"

"Innkeeper, probably," Bishop responded. "They typically know everyone, and I doubt Keerava's any different."

"Guess we should get to the tavern then, and pray to the Divines that no one cuts our purses in the meantime." Nothing in Riften sat well with her. The fact she  _knew_ she was going to look into the guild made it worse. Still... If she was able to get information on Cyliel...

They headed into the Bee and the Barb. Luckily, they'd gotten there before the inside of the tavern got busy. Keerava stood behind the bar counter, cleaning out a mug. When she noticed the newcomers enter, she happily greeted them. "If you got the coin, you've come to the right place. Pull up a seat!"

Wyllin walked over to the counter and smiled. "Hey, I'm looking for someone actually."

The bartender tilted her head. "Looking for someone? Who?"

"A Redguard woman named Sionha. I was told that I could find her in the city."

Keerava thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, the name sounds familiar. The tall one with the dark hair and a bad eye?" Wyllin had nodded, though she never had any kind of description of Sionha before then. Upon confirmation, the Argonian continued. "She doesn't live in the city, but frequents it often. I don't know where she actually lives around here, but she'll probably be in the bar tonight if you're willing to wait around."

"I guess we can. We've got plenty of time."

The bartender smiled. "In that case, can I interest you in anything? We've got food and drink to sate any appetite."

"Sounds good. Do you have a couple of rooms for rent as well?"

"Sure do. Speak to Talen-Jei about that."

Wyllin nodded and walked off to her group. They settled down at a table and the waiter walked up to them. It seemed as though they were all in decent enough spirit. Wyllin was joking around with her brother and teasing Bishop, the latter of the two just shot back every time she tried to jab at him. Though he always did it with a smile on his face. After a meal and offloading their equipment in their rooms - which had pretty heavy duty locks on them, thank the Divines - they headed out into the city for the day. That was when someone approached them.

He was a young kid holding a note. The moment he saw the group, he walked straight up to Wyllin and caught her attention. "A nice lady paid me to give this to you." When the note was handed to her, he ran off into the crowd.

"What's that?" Valdras asked as he looked over his sister's shoulder.

"A letter?" She opened it up and read over the contents. "It looks to be from the person we came here to find. Says to meet her by the Talos shrine near the graveyard this evening."

Bishop frowned. "You know this could be a trap, right?"

That had Wyllin groaning. "Not  _everything_ is a trap. Stop being paranoid."

"A healthy dose of paranoia is what's kept me alive all this time, princess," He said as he crossed his arms. "I'm just saying we're  _technically_ in enemy territory, if what happened at Whiterun was anything to go by." He wasn't wrong, but the fact he was saying that out loud in a Stormcloak-ruled hold left his partner on edge.

"Shh! Don't mention that here!" She hissed as her eyes darted around. Luckily, no one picked up on that comment he made. "Look, you two can come with me. We'd be more than a match for an ambush if we're prepared."

Valdras looked back and forth between the two as they bickered, and then sighed. "Well, it'd be better than waiting around in the tavern until the woman who matches the description the innkeeper gave us arrives. With the three of us, this meetup shouldn't be too much of a problem."

She nodded as she folded up the letter. "Yeah. Looks like it's two against one, Bishop. We're doing this."

"Alright, fine. Don't say I didn't warn you if something goes wrong."

"The only ones who'd come after us are the Thalmor, and I doubt they'd be stupid enough to send one of their own to this place. Riften's filled to the brim with Stormcloaks right now. Come on. We should stock up on supplies while we're out here."

* * *

The group eventually found themselves in the graveyard as the sun was setting. The Talos shrine was there, but the area was completely empty otherwise. A concerned look formed across Wyllin's face as she looked around. Where was Sionha?

"Still think this was a good idea to come here?" Bishop asked.

She squinted at him and placed a finger to her lips to shush him. Then she made her way towards the shrine, keeping a hand on one of her daggers just in case. As she was looking around it, another figure was approaching from one of the paths they hadn't entered from. No one had noticed their arrival until they spoke up.

"So, this is the elusive Dragonborn I've heard so much about. It's nice to finally meet you in person." All eyes were turned to the woman who spoke. A hood covered the majority of her face, though they could see her mouth was coiled into a smile. Her arms had crossed themselves over her chest. The only member of the small group she was paying attention to was Wyllin. "You're pretty hard to get in touch with. I was thinking about trying the last time you were in Riften, but you must've been in a hurry to get down to those sewers." As she pulled down her hood, Wyllin finally got a good look at her face. Redguard, dark hair, bad eye. Yes, this was the woman.

The elf sighed and withdrew her hand from the blade at her hip. "You were pretty hard to find as well. Maybe next time you could confront me directly instead of sending some kid to deliver a message."

"Too many people there. I couldn't risk it, even if the chances of a Thalmor eavesdropping on us was minimal." Sionha shook her head and sighed. "I hate having to be this paranoid, but it's become hard to trust anyone anymore. You're different though."

"Yeah, I'm not exactly on the best terms with the Dominion either. Anyways, we actually  _did_ come here to look for you. A former associate of yours has been looking to rebuild the Blades."

Sionha raised an eyebrow at that. "Rebuild the Blades? Well, that's a pipe dream and a half. I'm not sure if this associate knows this, but there's not much left to rebuild."

"Believe me, I know. I've been working with her long enough. Still, she's hoping to do this, and I figured they could make good allies if we manage to pull it off. There's even a temple here in Skyrim that she's turned into a sanctuary."

"Really? I think I remember hearing about it back in Cloud Ruler, but no one there knew of the actual location." Sionha paused and thought for a moment. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to check it out, I guess. Beats hiding out in this broken hold. With the Dragonborn herself in charge, I think we might stand a chance at reforming them."

In charge? Wyllin chuckled nervously. "I'm not in charge. In fact, I'm rarely ever there unless the acting Grandmaster sends for me."

"'Acting Grandmaster'?" Sionha asked. "And just who might this person be?"

"A Breton named Delphine. I assume you know her."

Apparently she did, and she wasn't exactly  _happy_ to hear that name, judging by how she gritted her teeth. "Delphine? Of all the people to survive the attack... No, that makes sense. Only she would try and reform the Blades as well. Still, she's hardly fit to lead them."

"Well, you can take that up with her if you go to Sky Haven. I wouldn't know the first thing about taking charge of this kind of organization."

"Of course. I'll go with you. I'm not about to let her try and play Grandmaster though. I've always outranked her, and for good reason. Let me gather up my things, and then we can head out as soon as you're ready."

"It's kind of late now, and we only arrived in town today. Think we can rest for the night and head out tomorrow?"

Sionha nodded. "Sure, I'll meet you in the Bee and the Barb first thing in the morning. By the way, Dragonborn..."

"Hmm?"

"My real name's Rozza. I'm sure you can understand why I'd need an alias. The Thalmor would be especially interested in getting their hands on me."

"Oh?" What on Nirn had she meant by that?

"It's... Not important. Not right now. I'll tell you on the road. In the meantime, get back to your friends. I have to gather up my belongings."

After saying their goodbyes, Rozza headed off, and Wyllin turned back to her group. She crossed her arms. "Well, it looks like coming here wasn't such a bad idea after all." Bishop had tried to make some remark, but she raised her hand to cut him off. "Come on. I'm tired. We should probably get some sleep. Seems like Rozza wants us to be up bright and early." If she were to be completely honest, sleep was the last thing on her mind. She was more concerned about where she was  _actually_ heading out to that night... Without Bishop or Valdras following her.

They made their way back to the inn. Bishop stayed outside of it for a moment to feed Karnwyr. Wyllin and Valdras took separate rooms. As the former was getting undressed to give off the illusion that she was actually going to sleep, the door opened and then closed once more. She felt the bed sink as someone else crawled onto it, and arms soon wrapped around her waist. The elf sighed as she leaned back against Bishop. "Ready to admit you were wrong?"

He grunted. "I was just being cautious. You have a bad habit of not looking before leaping, princess."

"I wasn't just going to straight up walk in there without at least surveying the scene, and it turns out there really  _was_ nothing to worry about anyway. We found who we were looking for."

"I know, I know. Gods, woman." He shook his head. "I feel like I've said this a hundred times, but I just don't want anything bad happening to you. You're pretty damn resilient, but everyone has their limits."

She shifted around until she was on his lap and facing him. "I'm fine, Bishop. We've gone through crazier shit than a potential ambush."

"I know I keep saying this, but you owe me, and you'll repay that debt one of these days." His hands pushed themselves under her shirt and then trailed up her bare skin. The shudder he caused had him smirking. "Once I get you under me, I won't be letting you go for a long while."

"Oh? I look forward to it." She leaned in and placed a kiss on his lips. "But let's not keep the entire inn up all night. We need to leave early tomorrow anyway, and I'd rather not keep Rozza waiting for too long."

"Guess you have a point." He allowed her to move off of him before getting up and getting ready for bed.

Sleep never came for her though. She'd curled up by his side and rested her head against his arm, but she knew she couldn't fall asleep. After she was certain that he was out, she slipped out of the bed and off towards her gear. Part of her silently cursed herself for not finding some bullshit excuse to go back to her house so she could pick up that outfit she wore back at the embassy. Even if it fit a bit awkwardly on her smaller frame, it would've been better to wear than her dragonscale armor. Well, there wasn't much she could do to help it. Hopefully no one would pay any mind as she slipped into the Ratway.

Actually, there wasn't many people outside at all. Even the beggars had slipped off somewhere into the night. She still kept her hood pulled over her head as she quickly made her way through the nearly empty streets of Riften and never took it off until she was inside of the Ragged Flagon. While she was vaguely able to remember the faces of the people there from the last time, only one stood out to her. He was sat at the bar with a mug of something in his hand, making idle chatter with the bartender. Neither of them noticed the little elf as she made her way towards them until she was tapping the Nord on his shoulder.

"Something you need?" He glanced back, and then paused. Then he turned around to face her completely. "You're not a member of the guild... No, I remember your face. You were the one looking for information about those dragons. Heard that you were successful with putting an end to their plans... For the most part."

"Yeah. I'm here for different matters this time though."

"Oh?" Brynjolf raised an eyebrow. "From what I heard about you, I'd never think you'd do business with us." So not only had the Brotherhood heard about her, but the thieves did as well. Fan-fucking-tastic. "What do you want then?"

"I'm looking to talk to someone who runs the guild. Mercer Frey, I think his name was?" When she spoke that name, everyone within the bar went quiet, and then all turned to look towards her. The disdain she caught in the eyes of those who surrounded her made her feel uneasy. Was he not well liked? Why would they work for him then?

"Lass, I don't know where you got that information, but Mercer hasn't been with us for a good month or two now. We ahh... Had some disagreements with him, but that's not important."

"Alright then, who do I speak to?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. She's a very busy woman and doesn't have time to speak with just anyone, even if that anyone happens to be the Dragonborn."

Wyllin groaned. No information came for free with these types. "Maybe I could give her something that'll persuade her to make some time for me?" Her hand slipped inside of her side pouch. The small bag given to her by the assassin back near Whiterun was pulled out. "The person who told me to speak with your guildmaster gave this to me."

Brynjolf tooked the bag when she held it out to him. Then he opened it and looked inside. "Well now, aren't these something..." He produced a pair of rings from the bag and looked them over. "These rings... They're from that unfortunate couple over in Solitude. The one with the woman who got murdered during her own wedding? So, you're hesitant about thieves, but you're just fine with lending a hand to assassins? You've definitely got some skewed morals."

"I didn't 'lend them a hand'." The thought alone would've been enough to make her shudder, but she kept her composure. Better to not show any form of weakness to these types. "These were given to me by one of them, yes. Actually, I didn't even know what was inside until you pulled them out." Maybe that was for the best. "Regardless, the reason why I got them isn't important. Are they enough to at least let me  _speak_ to the person in charge?"

"These could go for a lot to the right buyer. People are always on the lookout for these sorts of macabre trinkets. I think I could pull a few strings, but don't expect Adryna to willingly spill everything she knows about whatever you're looking into right off the bat. Shiny trinkets or not, she's probably going to ask you for something else, depending on what you want to know."

Of course. Wyllin was able to see that coming from a mile away. She just sighed and nodded. "Fine, go get her."

"I'll be right back with her then. Hold tight, and don't let the others bother you. Not many of us are accustomed to outsiders casually waltzing into the Flagon, especially ones who've caused a stir the last time they came by." Right... That happened. He stood up and headed off through the doorway right next to the bar. As he did, Wyllin took a seat at one of the tables. She took to messing with the ring on her finger as she waited. A million things were rushing through her head. That left her completely unaware of the fact someone who definitely wasn't Brynjolf had made his way towards her.

"What is an outsider doing down here?" Apparently, he hadn't been around for the conversation just before... Or was maybe stupid and trying to play tough.

Wyllin was clearly the only 'outsider' in the place. He must've been talking to her. Still, she couldn't have been bothered to look up at him. "None of your business."

She could feel his eyes burning into the back of her neck. "Don't know why Brynjolf's letting you stay here. You're clearly not one of us."

From off to the side, a woman sighed. "I wouldn't go messing with her. She's not harming anyone." Wyllin's eyes flickered towards the speaker. The blonde Imperial was leaning back against a stack of wooden crates with her arms crossed, glaring at whoever was behind the elf... Or maybe that was just how she looked at everyone. "Didn't the guildmaster have you out scouting for potential marks? Better get to that before she comes in here and sees you've instead chosen to harass her clients."

"A client?" Wow, he really just shrugged off that comment about his responsibilities.

Wyllin groaned. "Yes, a 'client'." She loathed referring to herself as that, but it was the truth in a way. She finally turned to get a good look at the thief that'd been bothering her. He was young. Pale skin, dark hair, blue eyes. Despite the clear size difference between them, she could curb stomp the kid without a damn problem. Yet here he was, acting like he was the toughest asshole in the sewers.

When he finally had a good look at her face, he took a step back, and his expression turned to one of awe. Dear Gods. "Wait, are you who I think you are?"

"Probably am. Now get out of here before I Shout you into the sewage below us." She rolled her eyes. Just as she was about to turn back and get lost in her thoughts again, he spoke.

"I knew it! You're the Dragonborn!"

"Yeah, shout it for the whole world to hear, why don't you?" She shook her head and turned away from him. "I just want to get whatever business I need to do done, and then get out of this rathole as soon as possible. Please leave me alone."

"Hey! This place isn't so bad!" The thief took a seat at her table and folded his arms over the table. "Well, after you get used to the smell... Anyways, I've always wanted to meet you! Can't we at least talk for a while?"

She sighed. "No."

"Please! I want to hear about your stories! I love stories of brave adventurers saving the world against all odds and-"

"You were literally trying to antagonize me not even two minutes ago."

"That was before I knew who you were!"

Before he could say anything else, a man with a shaved head and rather thick accent walked over and slammed his hand down on the desk next to Wyllin's admirer. "Look, kid. I think it's best you leave the lady alone. If Brynjolf sees you gettin' all up in 'er business, he's not gonna be happy with you. Just get back to what Adryna told you to do, or there's gonna be trouble."

The young thief quickly got out of his chair and put his hands up. "Woah, Delvin. No need to get rough! I'll go back to what I was doing before. Just... Forget I was here!" Then he spun around on his heels and bolted off towards the exit of the Flagon. Wow. It was actually kind of amusing to see that little thief squeak and retreat with his tail between his legs.

"Sorry 'bout that, miss," Delvin said after the other thief ran off. "Raven's a good kid, but he's got 'is head in all the wrong places. Tries to impress, but never succeeds."

She nodded. "I've dealt with those types before." The joys of being Harbinger.

"I'll make sure he stays outta your way. Can't have 'im causin' problems for our clients." After Wyllin thanked him, he turned and headed back to where he was sitting.

As that brief exchange was happening, Brynjolf emerged once more with a young woman with dark hair at his side. She couldn't have been much taller than Wyllin. While her facial features suggested she was Breton, her skin color was a bit off. Maybe she was part Dunmer? One feature of her stood out from all the rest though. Her irises were... Purple?

"Evening," The guildmaster greeted. "I'm guessing you're the one Brynjolf mentioned?"

Wyllin nodded. "That I am."

"Never thought someone as high profile as you would be turning to a bunch of criminals for information, but stranger things have happened." She crossed her arms over her chest. "So, what can I do for you then?"

"I need information on a specific group that I was told you're connected with."

"Really now?" Adryna raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"The Silver Crescents back in Valenwood. Well, a few specific members of them."

"The Crescents, huh?" She thought for a moment, and then sighed. "Normally, I wouldn't give information on our contacts to anyone, but you've caught me at the right time. If you help me out with a certain problem, I'll consider telling you whatever we might know about the group."

Wyllin furrowed her brow. "A problem?"

The guildmaster chuckled. "Skeptical, are you? Don't worry, it's not some grand heist. There's a certain pest we need taken care of, and you seem suitable for the task of helping us track him down. Think you could manage?"

"I'll see if I can."

"Good. Come with me then. We need to discuss a few things about the target in private."


	45. The Plan

Wyllin followed Adryna and Brynjolf further into the cistern. As they walked through it and towards what looked to be her desk, the guildmaster waved over towards a hooded figure. When she finally caught the woman's attention, she walked over.

"Finally setting your plan into motion, Adryna?" The woman asked. When Wyllin caught sight of her, she realized she was a Dunmer... With those purple eyes. Were these two related? The dark elf looked towards the newcomer. "Who's this?"

"Our help,' Adryna responded. "With her, we might just be able to track down Mercer and make him pay for what he's done."

Wyllin tilted her head. "Track down Mercer? The former guildmaster?"

Adryna nodded. "He's caused us a lot of problems. Normally, we keep these things in house, but he's become almost impossible for us to locate, even with his former contacts turning on him and helping us. We're thieves, not hunters."

"So you need someone with actual skills in tracking. I guess I couldn't have come at a better time then."

"Exactly." The guildmaster then sighed and shook her head. "Normally, we don't trust outsiders with these things, but we have no other choice. Even if we were able to locate him, Mercer could see Brynjolf or Karliah or even myself coming from miles away. You're not tied to the guild though, so you're not on his radar. You could be a vital asset, if you're willing to help, that is."

Wyllin thought about it for a moment. Helping out thieves? Was she really going to get herself involved with this? Did she have a choice? "I'm guessing this is the only way I'll be getting what I want?"

"If you help track us down and take care of Mercer, you'll have done more than enough to earn information on the Silver Crescents. He's a menace to society for both thieves and common folk alike, even without Lady Luck on his side."

"Alright then. I'll help."

Adryna clasped her hands together. "Good."

"Hold on there, lass," Brynjolf interrupted. "Are you sure you want to be trusting someone on the outside to help with this?"

"I don't see us having much of a choice on the matter, Brynjolf," The Dunmer - who must've been Karliah - told him as she crossed her arms. "Mercer knows the three of us are against him since we confronted him in Irkngthand, and he knows every other member of the guild. An outsider is our best bet."

Brynjolf gave a half-hearted laugh. "Two against one, I see. Very well." He looked back towards Adryna. "Fill her in then. I have preparations to make. Karliah?"

"Right behind you."

As the both of them walked off, the guildmaster continued on. "You really couldn't have come at a better time. We have a few contacts who could give us a lead if they're persuaded to talk. It might not be much, but every little tip we can get on this counts. Do you think you can check them out for us?"

"Depends on where they're at. I'm going to be setting out for the Reach in the morning."

"Are you heading through the mountains and into Falkreath?"

"It's the quickest way there, so probably." Hopefully her brother could endure the mountains. Bosmer weren't exactly built for extreme weather.

"Good. One of our contacts resides there and often frequents the tavern at night. He's a Nord name Mickal. Tall, scrawny, light hair, and a very noticeable scar on the left side of his face. With any luck, he can point us in the right direction. Give me a minute." She began to rummage through the desk. The items she produced were then laid out. A pen, paper, and some odd badge-type thing. "This should be all you need. The pen and paper are enchanted. Anything you write with that pen on that specific piece of paper will appear on another piece I have stored away. It's the best form of immediate contact I have currently."

"Alright," Wyllin picked up the pen and paper, and then looked towards the other thing she pulled out. "What about that, then?"

Adryna sighed. "Mickal won't just take your word if you say you're asking for the guild. It's sort of in our nature to be paranoid about that." She took the small leather badge and opened it up to reveal a strange symbol. A diamond with a circle in the center. "This symbol is known as a shadowmark, specifically the one for the guild. He's seen other members carry badges like this around before. Show it to him, and that ought to be enough." She closed the badge again and handed it off. As she did, she looked the Bosmer over. "Actually, now that I think about it..."

Wyllin raised an eyebrow as she took what'd been held out to her. "What?"

"While I'm truly grateful for your help, there is one problem that's been nagging me since the start. Brynjolf told me who you are."

"The Dragonborn."

She nodded. "Exactly, and there's an issue with that. You don't see many celebrities in the ranks of a guild like ours, and for good reason. We're supposed to not be well known. I'm sure you can see why it helps with our profession. To put it bluntly, you stick out like a sore thumb, and that's undoubtedly going to spook Mickal, even if you have proof of your involvement with us. You're going to need to blend in."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

Adryna drummed her fingers against the wooden desk as she thought about that. "Well, I'm rather adept in magic. I might be able to magically disguise you in some way. As long as you don't go traipsing into Dead Man's Drink wearing armor made out of dead dragon bits, you shouldn't raise any alarms."

"I can handle the outfit change, but I'm traveling with others. I can't just wear this disguise the entire time without them questioning me."

"Maybe an enchanted item then. Something simple to change your hair and eye color. All you'd need to do is wash off that warpaint of yours and you should be good to go... That  _is_ warpaint, right?"

Wyllin laughed. "Yeah, it comes off. Don't worry. I don't have a whole lot of time to wait for you to enchant something though."

"That's fine. It should only take a few moments. Wait here." She then walked off to a different room, leaving the Bosmer to awkwardly stand there. She still couldn't believe that she was associating herself with a guild of thieves. Just being in their headquarters made her anxious. The fact a few of the members would occasionally glance at her wen they thought she wasn't looking hadn't exactly made things any better. Luckily, Adryna hadn't taken long with her enchantments. She appeared once more with a necklace in hand. "Here you go. This thing turned out to be paste, lifted off a woman faking her noble status for one reason or another. It's worthless to us, but I figured it'd be good in a situation like this."

Stolen jewelry? Fantastic. At least it wasn't actually valuable. Wyllin took the necklace. Just as she was about to put it on and test out the enchantment, she realized her prayer talisman was still around her neck. Her fingers moved to brush over the stag's head symbol on it. She rarely ever took the thing off.

"Better to not have identifying marks like that," Adryna told her when she noticed her hesitation. "You're better off sporting a piece of fake jewelry than something with the symbol of a Daedric Prince."

Wyllin frowned. "You know about..."

The guildmaster chuckled. "I follow one myself. Not the same one, but still. It's easy for me to identify other worshipers when I see them."

"Alright.." She took her talisman off and carefully placed it in her side pouch. Then she put on the necklace she'd been given. Her form almost instantly shifted to something no one would've been able to recognize. She rushed to the closest reflective surface to see what happened. Her hair was significantly shorter and darker, almost close to black. Her eyes had changed from their typical green to a dark brown. Even subtle details were shifted, like her freckles fading. She hardly even recognized herself. "This is... Something."

"Definitely. I wasn't able to do much in such a short amount of time, but you look like any other Bosmer, and that's what we need. Just get that warpaint off and you'll be good to go."

"I can do that. I should probably get out of here though. It's late and we're heading out early tomorrow and... Er..." She looked around. "I don't want to stay around long enough to get the stench of sewer on me. No offense."

"None taken." Adryna then gestured towards a ladder near the other end of the cistern. "That's an easier way out than getting through the Ratway. It'll bring you out by the cemetery. I'll be seeing you around, Dragonborn."

"Wyllin."

"What?"

The elf sighed. "I'd rather you call me by my name. Titles get exhausting. I'm Wyllin."

"Ahh, good to know. Be seeing you around,  _Wyllin."_  The thief gave her a cheeky smirk, which was half heartedly returned. After that, she watched as Wyllin left the cistern, and then went back to her duties.

A bath was probably in order. Wyllin didn't want to spend the next few days potentially smelling like waste. That could wait until morning though. She wanted to get at least a few hours of sleep. That train of thought had left her distracted enough to not realize she was walking straight into someone until she bounced off their chest and hit the ground.

"What the fu-" Her gaze turned to the person she ran into, and then the color drained from her face. "Val, what are you doing up?"

"I could ask the same to you," He crossed his arms over his chest as he watched his little sister get up off the ground. He clearly wasn't pleased with her. "Where did you go?"

"I needed to clear my head." That was a shitty-ass lie and she knew it. Then again, she'd always found it hard to lie to her brother, especially to his face. The disappointed look her gave her left her antsy. "Look, it's not important."

"It must've been if it had you leaving in the middle of the night without telling anyone. The only reason I found out was because Karnwyr tipped me off."

"He did what?" She glanced over towards the wolf, who was sitting by the entrance to the inn.

"Don't give me that. You know I can communicate with animals. He saw you walk off, but didn't follow."

Of all the beings in Tamriel to rat her out, it was the damn dog. She glared at Karnwyr, but the wolf tried to not show the fact he'd picked up on her emotions. Then she shook her head and turned back to her brother. "Whatever. I already told you that I didn't do anything important."

"Stop lying to me. You're not good at it." The older elf pinched the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb. "I know why you're not telling me anything. You're scared I'm going to tell Bishop. Look, if I promise not to, will you tell me why you've been acting the way you have been for the past few days. It has to be more than the war keeping you on edge."

She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Fine, if it'll get you off my ass."

"Good. Tell me  _everything."_

Her hands clenched into fists and she took a deep breath. Why was it so hard to look him in the eyes? She kept her own closed as she spoke. "It's about Cyliel, and the Silver Crescents. I think I might've found a way to learn more about them. Maybe it'll help bring her home." When her eyes fluttered open again, she noticed the look on her brother's face. She couldn't tell if it was more shock or concerned, but she'd definitely piqued his interest.

* * *

The morning came and went. She'd bathed herself and was ready to head back out. Valdras had made good on his promise to keep Bishop in the dark about what his sister had said last night, thank the gods. They'd bickered a little over what she was doing to actually find out about the Crescents, but ultimately understood that this was something she needed to do. She needed closure, and had needed it for almost six years at that point.

Rozza had shown up completely dressed in her old Blades armor. At first, Wyllin was concerned about that, but ultimately figured they weren't going to be encountering many Thalmor due to the path they were traveling. Thankfully, that  _was_ the case. They'd crossed into Falkreath without any issues, and then made their way through it. While there was a larger amount of Imperials patrolling the hold, they mostly turned a blind eye to the group, outside of a few suspicious glances.

Wyllin had bullshitted an excuse to get to Lakeview that time. She offered to let Rozza stay there with them for the night, which the tired Redguard happily accepted. She definitely livened the place up with stories of valor during her time as a Blades member. It was clear that she missed that former lifestyle, but there was also a twinge of sorrow in her words. Most wouldn't have been able to pick it up, but Wyllin and her brother had shared more than a few glances to one another as she went on. They both knew.

Night soon fell. Adryna had mentioned their contact spent some time at Dead Man's Drink. With any luck, he would still be there by the time she was able to sneak out and get to the city. She removed her warpaint and put on the necklace. The disguise was still... Uncanny to her, but she didn't have much time to think about that.

Mickal  _was_ there, thankfully. The guildmaster wasn't kidding when she spoke about his paranoia. Even with the disguise she wore, it was still pretty hard to get information out of him. Though he started to comply a bit more when she flashed the guild badge she was given and offered him a drink.

Cyrodiil. Mercer was somewhere in Cyrodiil, looking around for an Ayleid ruin with some artifact that'd earn him enough gold to vanish forever. As Mickal continued, he'd let it slip that Mercer's plans in Skyrim were foiled by Adryna and the two thieves she hung around. They'd gotten back some priceless artifact that belonged to the Daedric Prince Nocturnal - which must've been the one the guildmaster was referring to previously - but Mercer had barely managed to escape with his life. Wyllin just nodded along as though she knew all of that. After she'd gotten her information on the potential whereabouts of Mercer and had recorded it all down on the piece of paper Adryna gave to her, she said her goodbyes and headed out. Thank the Gods that was over.

They started up for the Reach the next day. As Wyllin got closer to figuring things out with the Crescents, she began to justify her actions and put her mind at ease a bit more. Both Valdras and Bishop were happy to see her return to some state of normalcy during their trip to Sky Haven. She'd also found out during that trip that the odd paper she was given worked both ways. Adryna sent messages to her through it, primarily discussing the plan to take Mercer out. Of course, she'd need the Bosmer's help, and said Bosmer was having a hard time thinking up an excuse to get to Cyrodiil. Did she  _really_ want to drag Bishop into the guild's plans? What would he even think about her betraying her morals and helping out the Thieves' Guild, even if it was to get information on her sister? Fuck. Well, she could figure that out after they got Rozza to Sky Haven. The woman seemed rather curious as to what was going on there.

"Rozza?" A familiar voice called out as the group entered. Delphine rushed down the steps towards them. "You're the Sionha character I found out about?"

"The one and only." While the other was shocked, Rozza just didn't seem pleased by her presence. She crossed her arms and looked around. "So, this is what you meant by reforming the Blades, eh? Hiding out with former members in a crumbling temple?"

Delphine's mood switched when she heard the tone Rozza was using. "I've been working on that. These things take time, and I've only recently been able to start formulating a plan."

From off to the side, Bishop was unable to control himself. He laughed loudly enough for it to echo throughout the temple, which caught the attention of everyone inside of it. "Yeah, formulating a plan you've been having Wyllin execute in your stead." His partner grumbled something under her breath, telling him to stop, but he ignored her. "And don't give me any bullshit excuses. You could've tracked these Blades down yourself, but you sent her out. Not a damn thing here has changed since we were last here about a month back."

Rozza furrowed her brow at Bishop's words. "What?"

Delphine growled. "Don't listen to him. I've been doing my best to-"

"Lazily hang back while everyone else does the work. You knew how dangerous it was to look into these Blades members yourself. Just like you knew how dangerous it was to infiltrate that stupid embassy, or track down that lorekeeper in Riften."

"Bishop," Wyllin growled. "Don't start this shit again."

He looked towards her and scoffed. "Why not? Because she 'helped you fulfill your destiny'? Ladyship, you did all of that yourself. You never needed her."

"She was the one who-"

"Sent you on suicide mission after suicide mission," He interrupted. "And never lifted a finger to help. Some 'Grandmaster' she is, given how she's treated you like a pawn. Gods, when are you going to see that she doesn't give a damn?"

"That's enough out of you," Delphine snapped at him. She stepped right up to the Nord and stared him down. "I won't have you slander my name. Without me, she never would've found out about Alduin. I  _did_ help her on her quest, and I  _do_ 'give a damn' about her. You're one to talk though. I've seen you around the Sleeping Giant enough to know about how you never cared about anyone.  _You_ were the one always using people for your own gain. Don't go projecting that onto me."

That had Bishop laughing bitterly. "Don't give me that, you hag. I've been the one keeping her alive. I'm the one who's had her back for months now. Meanwhile, you've been sitting pretty in this fucking temple waiting around for her next return to shove some new task on her. She might not have the courage to speak out against you, but I do, and I've been waiting a long damn while to say all of this."

Wyllin groaned. "Alright, you said your peace. Just let me handle-"

"Oh! And here's the real kicker! Remember when she said she wouldn't work with you anymore because you refused to kill Paarthurnax? That dragon who was a  _fuck ton_  more useful than  _her,_  by the way?" Bishop shook his head.

Meanwhile, the entire conversation had Rozza gritting her teeth. That last comment was what had her speaking out though. "She  _what?"_  Her gaze turned to Delphine. "Is all of what he's saying actually true? That you were going to  _abandon_ the very person the Blades were sworn to protect? All because she spared the life of  _one_ dragon? That goes against everything the Blades stood for in the past!"

Delphine growled. "I don't need this from either of you. Everything I've done has been for the benefit of both the Blades  _and_ the Dragonborn."

That had Rozza scoffing. "If what he says is true, you clearly haven't. Do you not remember the vows you took when you first joined the Blades? It might've been for the Mede Dynasty, but our priorities lie first and foremost with the Dragonborn, as it has been for centuries. I should've expected these revelations though. You were  _never_ fit to lead this organization."

"And just what are you going to do? Take charge after everything  _I've_  done? I don't think so. Why don't we ask what the Dragonborn thinks?" The Breton turned in the direction Wyllin had been, only to find she was gone. "What the..?" Apparently no one else had seen her slip out either. Damn that woman and damn her terrifying amount of stealth.

* * *

Bishop found her pacing around the abandoned Forsworn camp outside of Karthspire. She must've had quite a bit on her mind, because she didn't realize he was there, even despite her heightened senses. When she finally took a seat over the ledge of one of the boards, he decided to join her. "Wyll-"

"Don't talk to me." She didn't even look his way. "You had  _no_ reason to react the way you did back there."

He groaned.  _Really?_ "I was hoping to open your eyes. Delphine doesn't fucking care about you. She's too worried about her own damn agenda. Fuck, when I left, she was  _still_ arguing with Rozza. Even those two from Rorikstead got involved."

"I don't care.  _You_ were the one who started it. I don't need  _anyone_ standing up for me.  _Ever."_

"Yeah because you're the strong Nordic hero who constantly bites her tongue to appease people."

She let out a frustrated whine and threw her hands up into the air. "Yes! Because it avoids situations like this! I already have enough on my plate. My nerves are already shot. I don't need to start another fight."

"That's the price you pay for having a damn voice! People aren't going to like you! Fuck, you can't make everyone like you to begin with. That's not how this world works!"

As he said that, her hands fell back into her lap. She stared down at them as her fingers curled up to form fists. Then her eyes shifted towards Bishop. "I need a break from this damn ice heap."

"Pick a place, princess. We can go anywhere you want to go."

"No. Not us. Just  _me."_ She sighed at his look of confusion. "I have something I need to do outside of Skyrim, but it's something I can't have you with for. It's... Delicate, and complicated, but if it brings me closer to finding my sister."

"Your  _sister?_ You mean the one who abandoned you to run off with some thief? Why in Oblivion would you want to see her again?"

"Because she's my family. I  _care_ about her, and that asshole she 'ran off with' has been manipulating her from the start."

He scoffed. "Manipulation. If she  _actually_  cared about you as much as you think she does, she wouldn't have done that."

"You'd be amazed at what people can do to your psyche. From what I recall, you've also dealt with a manipulator in your life. That Laurissa woman?"

He froze when she brought up that name, as though memories were coming back to him all over again. In a way, he knew she was right. No, he knew she was  _completely_ right. People out there could do horrible things to someone's mind. He grimaced and shook away the thoughts. "Alright. Fine. Why do you have to do this alone though?"

"Wasn't what you did back in the temple reason enough? This is more delicate than taking out bandits or slaying dragons. If our plans are fucked up, I could lose my only chance at learning anything about the Silver Crescents."

"Wait, wait. Hold on a second.  _'Our plans'?"_

Fuck. He just  _had_ to catch that. "Yes,  _'our plans',_  as in the plans I've made with... A specific group. They want me to track down someone. I do that and they tell me what they know."

"And just how would they know about this notorious group of thieves from fucking  _Valenwood?"_ After saying that out loud, he paused. "Thieves. You didn't..."

"It's the only way." At least that's what she told herself.

"You're going against the very damn morals you hold so fucking proudly over everyone's heads to get at these assholes?"

"I never 'held them proudly' over anyone's head, and I have to do this! Like I said, it's the only way!"

"Like fuck it is! Wyllin, are you  _hearing_ yourself right now?"

"Yes I am, but you sure as fuck aren't!"

"I'm trying to be your voice of reason, here. It's something you're sorely lacking right now! Even if you didn't detest thieves, they aren't a crowd you want to get mixed up in! They don't have any honor or real obligation to help you. How do you know they won't stab you in the back the moment they get whatever they want from you? Is that a risk you're actually willing to take just to chase after someone who  _abandoned_ you?"

She snarled and got to her feet. "I don't need this from you. Look, maybe you don't understand because you didn't come from the greatest of families, but mine means  _everything_ to me, and I value them above all else. My sister is out there, and I  _know_ she's suffering with that asshole. I'm not about to pass up on an opportunity to at least make things right with her!"

He stood up along with her and crossed his arms. "And what about me, huh? Do I really mean that little to you? I'm worried sick about you and here you are talking about running off with a bunch of thieves!"

"Don't pull that shit with me! Don't try and make me feel guilty about this!" She hugged her arms, nails digging into the sleeves of her armor. "I love you. I've never felt this way about anyone before. My emotions aren't going to change, but I still need to do this."

"Wyll-"

"No. Don't." She took a step back. "I'm doing this, and no one is going to stop me. Not even you." After that, she turned around and dashed off.

Bishop was about to go after her, but someone grabbing his arm had stopped him. He looked back to see Valdras standing there. "The fuck?! Your sister just ran off to go team up with a bunch of thieves! Why aren't you letting me go after her?!"

"Even if you did go after her, the moment she gets past forest line, you're going to lose her anyway. We might not be in Valenwood, but she's still a Bosmer, and still has a connection with forests." He released the Nord and then crossed his arms. 'Connection with forests'? What was that supposed to mean. Bishop didn't get the chance to ask. "And even if you did catch up with her, nothing you say is going to change what she thinks. She was closer to Cyliel than she was with any other member of our family, including me."

"But that doesn't warrant-" He paused, and then frowned as he looked back towards Valdras. "You knew about this, didn't you? Gods damnit. Why is  _everything_ kept from me!"

"Because she knew how you'd react and she wanted to talk with you about it at a better time. But that better time never came, apparently. It's not that she doesn't trust you, it's that she's constantly worried about hurting you, like she did with our sister."

That had Bishop pausing. Hurt her sister? "What?"

"I'm guessing she withheld the whole story from you. I'm not surprised. She never talks to anyone about Cyliel, let alone what happened between the two of them the last time they spoke." He scratched the back of his head. It seemed as though he wasn't fond of the memories as well. "Long story short, she blames herself for driving her own sister away from her, when it really was inevitable no matter how she went about things. This mer has... A way of taking over someone's mind and bending it to his whims. Anyway, that's not important. Just... Let her go for a while. Regardless of whether or not you like her actions, she's not going to back down."

Bishop placed a hand on his forehead and let out a loud groan. "Fucking... You know what? Fine. Whatever. She's her own woman. If she wants to reopen her old wounds and pour salt on them, she can go right on ahead. I'm not staying here though. Fuck those Blades and fuck everything they stand for."

"That's understandable, but where are you going to go?"

"Somewhere far away from here. That's for damn sure."


	46. Chorrol

"Are you ready, then?" Adryna asked.

Wyllin nodded and awkwardly adjusted the strap on her dark armor, which she decided to wear instead of her dragonscales. "As ready as I'll ever be. Do we even know where we're going, exactly?"

"Well, an Ayleid ruin in Cyrodiil narrows it down a lot more than we had before, and Karliah was able to come across something about an artifact in one of them from the journal of a previous guildmaster. We're going to a ruin called Lindai, near Chorrol. Mercer's looking for some type of crown there, but the journal has only told us so much. With any luck, he's probably still looking for the ruins. Not having any contacts left within the guild can make these things difficult."

"Well, we shouldn't waste much time regardless." Wyllin looked around. "Is it just us two?"

"Yeah. Karliah and Brynjolf are going to be staying here to manage things while I'm gone, and I'd rather limit the amount of people who tag along anyway."

"That's probably a good idea."

"Mhmm. Speaking of good ideas, do you still have the enchanted necklace I gave you? Even people in Cyrodiil could recognize who you are, which might cause problems if word starts to spread."

The necklace was pulled from her side pouch. "Right here. I should probably put it on."

"That's probably for the best. Once you do, we should get going. Cyrodiil is much bigger than Skyrim and it's going to take a while to get to Chorrol."

Wyllin mused the thought of summoning a dragon to at least get them to Bruma, but that would've been way too flashy. It was best to travel on foot. Once her talisman was off and the necklace was on, she followed Adryna out of the cistern and into the streets of Riften. The day was still young and they had time to travel. She clutched tightly onto her cloak as she trailed behind Adryna. No matter how many times she was in the city, she never felt safe, even if she was traveling with the apparently well respected - or at least well feared - leader of the Thieves' Guild.

They settled into a decent enough routine, and Adryna kept up with her pretty easily. The days were spent travelling, with little interaction between the two of them at first, outside of planning what to do once they got to Cyrodiil. In the evenings, they'd set up camp. Wyllin would hunt and forage, while Adryna pitched tents and gathered wood for a fire. Then they slept in shifts. It wasn't anything Wyllin was unfamiliar with during her travels with Bishop. As they'd gotten out of the Rift and into Falkreath so they could make their way through Pale Pass, it was clear to see that Wyllin had grown a bit more uncomfortable than she already had been. At one point, Adryna's curiosity must've gotten the better of her.

"Something wrong, sera?" She asked Wyllin as they sat by the fire that evening.

Her companion's eyes turned from the flames to her. "Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. I'm just hoping we get out of here before someone I know finally catches up with me."

"Someone you know? You have enemies in this hold?"

"No, that's not it..." She let out a frustrated sigh. "I was traveling with someone when you and I first met in Riften. He's someone I care about deeply but... I'd rather avoid him right now."

"Are you even sure he  _knows_ you're here?"

She shrugged. "Well, he's the best tracker I know in Skyrim. On top of that, he knows I own a house here. Chances are this would be the first place he'd look. Anyways, given what happened the last time we spoke, it's just for the best."

Adryna frowned, but must've decided it was better to not push further. "Well, at this rate, we should be heading through Pale Pass by tomorrow evening, and then into Bruma the next day. We should be in the clear at that point unless he's determined enough to cross borders along with us."

"I really don't know, but it's not important right now..." It was probably better to change the subject at that point. "Anyways, you just... Referred to me with a Dunmeri honorific, didn't you?"

"I did? Oh!" The thief laughed awkwardly. "Err, yeah. I guess it's kind of hard to tell that I'm half Dunmer, isn't it? I look a lot more like my mother than my father." She scratched the back of her head as she said that and looked up towards the nighttime sky. "My father was from a noble family, and the way he speaks is enough to tell you that. He met my mother, who was already a thief, and the one I inherited my roguish charm from." She smirked, and that comment had her companion chuckling. "He left his family behind to be with her. They both raised me, and his speech patterns are just something that stuck with me, even after all the years I've been on my own. I've been trying to get out of the habit of using them though."

"Ahh..."

"What was that response for? Khajiit got your tongue?" Adryna shook her head. "What about you then, since we're swapping stories?"

Wyllin took a moment to think about just how much she wanted to divulge to Adryna. Even after the days they spent traveling together, she still expressed some amount of caution. The thief had yet to stab her in the back and walk off with her valuables though. Maybe she was wrong about her assumptions... "I hail from Valenwood, if that wasn't obvious enough. I'm as pureblooded as Bosmer come. My parents are war heroes, and have a special connection to the Green for all they've done to protect it. Our entire family is well respected because of it. I left a few years ago though. It was just... Difficult to be there after what the Crescents did to us."

Adryna raised an eyebrow at that. "The Silver Crescents caused issues for your family?"

She sighed and nodded. "A member of the group stole my sister. He manipulated her, and turned her against us. I've been hoping for a way to get her back ever since." The elf hugged her knees tightly against her chest as she stared into the fire. It was clear that the conversation was bringing up bad memories, even if she was doing her best to hide that fact. "Truth be told, I've hated thieves ever since. I went against everything I stood for when I sought out your guild, but if there's a chance to even see her again..."

Her companion shrugged. "Well, most don't trust thieves anyway, regardless of whether or not they were wronged by us in some way. I don't exactly blame you, but know that the Crescents aren't... Well liked, even among their own kind."

Wyllin looked back towards her and gave her a curious expression. "They aren't?"

Adryna shook her head. "No. The only reason we associate with them is because they're lucrative, and that's obviously a pretty big deal with our line of work. Still, they don't follow our codes, nor do they adhere to the customs of your homelands. Frankly, I wouldn't give two shits if you went to Valenwood and razed their entire hideout after you find out what you need to know about them."

"No wonder you were swayed so easily then." The Bosmer then laughed quietly and moved to stand up. "I'm going to get some rest. We still have a long journey ahead of us... And I just need some time to... Think."

"Go on ahead. I'll keep watch for a while." Adryna stood up and grabbed her bow. Wyllin then watched as she vanished into the trees to find a good vantage point.

* * *

The journey through Cyrodiil was surprisingly smooth, other than the typical issues travelers had to deal with. With the disguise Wyllin was given, no one recognized her as the Dragonborn. Then again, she wasn't quite sure how much was known about her appearance outside of Skyrim, aside from her being a Bosmer. Even people within the province still had a hard time recognizing her.

Chorrol was undoubtedly going to take a while to get to. Neither Adryna or Wyllin knew that side of Cyrodiil very well. It was going to take a while to track down the location of Lindai as well because Mercer left literally  _nothing_ to go off of.

Adryna was actually starting to grow on Wyllin. She was... Carefree, in a way, and that was something her companion could appreciate. While talks of Mercer brought out a more agitated side of her, it was completely understandable. Compared to Wyllin's experiences with the Silver Crescents, her latest companion seemed like a much more respectable person. Then again, if what she said about Valenwood's guild was true,  _most_ thieves were more respectable.

Along the way, the guildmaster divulged more about what her predecessor had done. She often skirted around a particular topic involving some Daedric artifact, but everything else was openly shared. Mercer had murdered an apparent friend of his, framed another one for it, and then took almost everything from the guild. Wealth, plans, even their luck in a way. It was... Horrible, to say the least. He even turned his back on the Prince he was apparently sworn into service of, which was a pretty brazen move in and of itself. Even Adryna admitted that turning against her guild was a very minor offense compared to invoking the wrath of Nocturnal.

"So, yeah, that's why we're tracking him down," Adryna said as they walked along the path. "We might've foiled his plans in Skyrim, and I've since returned the artifact to Nocturnal, but letting him go after  _everything_ he's done? No. He needs to be brought down."

"I can get that. No one deserves to go through what he did to Karliah and Gallus."

"I'm itching to drive my blade through his gut," The thief growled as she placed a hand on the hilt of the very blade she spoke of. It was... Unique. A little sliver of starlight. Wyllin had never seen anything quite like it. Her bow looked like it was made from the same material as well. Her attention was brought away from the guildmaster's interesting choice in weaponry when she spoke to her again. "Hopefully someone in Chorrol knows where Lindai is. It'd spare potentially days worth of searching the Great Forest."

Wyllin nodded. "When we get to the city, we should split up and ask around. There's probably a tavern or something where we can meet up at after we're finished."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Her attention then turned to the map in her hands. "I think we're getting close, if this is anything to go by. Maybe a couple more hours worth of walking if we stick to the main roads. Still plenty of daylight too, thankfully."

Just as Wyllin was about to respond, a noise caught her attention. It didn't take long for her to recognize just  _what_ that noise was. "Gods above..."

"What on Nirn was that?" The Breton asked as she looked around, trying to locate the creature that let out the terrifying roar.

"A dragon," Wyllin replied. "I've never heard anything about them traveling this far out of Skyrim. Guess I really do have a target on my back." She reached for her bow and narrowed her eyes at the beast as he quickly approached them.

As the dragon landed, the ground shook below his feet. "You think you are able to run from us,  _Dovahkiin?_ Hide behind that pitiful disguise? We will always find you."

"I'm not running from anyone," The Bosmer growled as she readied her arrow. "You probably should though. Crawl back to Skyrim with your tail between your legs, before I destroy you." The dragon was clearly unshaken by her taunts, which she expected. As he was about to speak again, he was interrupted by Adryna, who shot an arrow into the side of his neck.

Quickly, the beast turned to his attacker and unleashed his Thu'um.  _"GAAN LAH HAAS."_  A gout of strange purple energy was shot towards the thief, who just barely managed to miss it. The unfamiliar shout had surprised Wyllin, though she quickly regained herself and took aim at the dragon. The arrow that struck him had him returning his focus on his actual enemy. He launched himself into the air and circled around the two.

"By the shadows," Adryna muttered as she watched in pure awe. "I never expected to face off against one of these things."

"That's the price of traveling with me," Wyllin replied as she pulled another arrow from her quiver and loaded it. "Don't try to shoot just yet. I'll ground this damn thing." Before Adryna was able to ask how she would've been able to do that, she took a deep breath and called upon her Voice.  _"JOOR ZAH FRUL."_  The Shout forced their enemy back down to the ground, and he wasn't able to stick the landing as well as he did the first time. Wyllin's arrow was loosed into its snout as she called out to Adryna. "Go for the wings! My Shout won't last forever!"

The dragon was able to recover just enough as the thief charged towards him. He used the same Shout as last time on her, but she wasn't able to duck away like she had before. When the purple energy consumed her, she dropped her blade and crumpled to her knees. Wyllin's eyes widened, and she dashed towards her companion, bow swapped out for her daggers. As Adryna was trying to recover, the elf slashed at the dragon whenever he got too close. After failing to bite at the elf several times and getting a blast of her Fire Breath to his face, he turned and slammed his tail into her side, which caught her off guard and knocked her off of her feet.

Wyllin yelped as she crashed to the ground. The dragon then bounded towards her. Both of her blades had landed somewhere out of her reach and using her Voice again so soon would've undoubtedly put too much of a strain on her throat. Shit. The beast pounced, and she was just barely able to roll out of the way before he could pin her to the ground under the weight of his massive claws. She located one of her blades and grabbed it before standing up again. By that point, the dragon was readying his Thu'um once more. She made a split second decision to throw up her ward in an attempt to block whatever he had to throw at her. Luckily, that was just barely enough. She staggered backwards as the purple energy dissipated around her. Gods... This dragon was far more powerful than any one she'd fought before. Well, any she fought on  _Nirn_ that was. Riinahtoor's words after the Stormcloak invasion were beginning to sink in.

"You are a formidable opponent,  _Dovahkiin,"_  The dragon said as he walked towards her. "It will bring me  _lot zin_  - great honor - to be the one to defeat you."

"Just fucking try," She hissed as she raised her dagger. Just as she was going to take another swing, a flash of metal from off to the side caught her eye.

Adryna had recovered from the effects of the dragon's Thu'um. While he was approaching Wyllin, she had plenty of time to sneak up on him. Her blade was lodged into his scaly hide, in between his ribs. He let out a roar of pain as he flailed around, trying to force his attacker to lose her grip. During that time, Wyllin was able to locate her other dagger. Then she charged towards the dragon and drove both of them into his neck. He tried his best to fling her off of him, but she held on tight. Thanks to Adryna, she finally had the upper hand. Soon enough, she was straddling his neck, and - quite honestly - holding on for dear life. The beast's struggling soon began to wear him out. Just as the thief was about to go in for the kill, Wyllin speaking up again stopped her in her tracks.

"Bow to me," The elf growled. "Recognize me as your superior, or I'll take your soul, just as I've done to countless others of your kind."

That ultimatum angered the dragon, but he was very clearly weakened, and she knew that. There was only one option if he wanted to live. He allowed her to clamber off of him as he quietly deliberated.

"Well?" Her arms crossed over her chest as she glared up at him.

 _"Hi krif voth ahkrin, Dovahkiin._  Regardless of the aid of your friend, you fight with enough courage to rival some of the mightiest of the  _dov._  I now see why your name sparks both concern and envy in many of my kind." He bowed his head. "Very well. You have proven your strength, so I will humbly recognize your  _Thu'um_ as superior."

"Good. Then tell me your name so I can call upon you when I wish."

 _"Zu'u_ Vullokruth," The dragon told the elf before backing up and breathing fire into the ground at her feet. The three Words of Power that made up his name appeared to her once the smoke cleared away.  _"Vul-Lok-Ruth._  I am the Rage of the Dark Skies. Hear my name, _thuri,_  and remember it well." As she took in the meaning of those words, visions of the dragon before her flashed through her mind. He soared through the nighttime sky, blending in with the clouds around him. When he eventually landed on the ground, he raised his head up and released the same Shout he'd used several times in their battle. After that, the vision dissipated.

She blinked a few times, and then looked up at the dragon, sporting a much kinder expression than the ones she'd given before. "It will be an honor to have you on my side, Vullokruth."

The dragon chuckled softly at her words. "The honor is mine,  _Dovahkiin._  Do you have any requests of me? If not, I must return to  _Keizaal._  The skies of my home call to me."

"Let me heal you first before you go." She held up her hands as the green aura of her healing spell began to surround them. He allowed her to close up each one of his wounds. As she did so, she spoke again. "If you miss Skyrim, why did you even leave to begin with?"

"When you left, some of the  _dov_ began to believe you wished to hide from us after Riinahtoor's warning. We are inclined to be... Self-centered, it would seem." He looked away, as if he was somewhat ashamed of that fact. "I took it upon myself to track you down, to see if you still had the courage Riinahtoor and Odahviing spoke of. I was not disappointed."

Wyllin frowned as she finished off healing his wounds. "I didn't leave because of the dragons. I left because I have things to do  _outside_ of Skyrim." Her eyes shifted towards the still very dumbfounded Breton off to her side, and then back to the dragon in front of her. "In fact, I might just be able to use your help with something. We're trying to track down someone, and we're looking for a specific Ayleid ruin he's hiding out in. Think you could lend us a han- Err... Claw?"

 _"Hin hind uthi, thuri,"_  He responded. "What would you ask of me?"

"We're trying to find ruins somewhere nearby. Once we actually get information on the whereabouts, mind taking us to them?"

 _"Ol hi hind._  I will stay close for now. Call upon me when you require my aid." With that, Vullokruth launched himself into the sky, hovering just above for a moment before soaring away.

Adryna just watched in shock until he disappeared from view. Then she turned towards Wyllin. After a moment of stunned silence, she managed to find her voice. "By night's shadows, what in the everloving  _fuck_ was that?!"

Her companion shrugged in return. "I've done it a few times in the past. Those other two dragons he mentioned are also my allies. They all live by... Some odd code. Anyone who proves themselves to be stronger than them are viewed with respect, even if they're just some  _lowly mortal."_  She looked in the direction the dragon disappeared off to. "I'm just glad it worked. He was severely wounded in multiple places and was  _still_  kicking. I've never... Met a dragon like him. I've never heard that Shout before either."

"I..." The guildmaster paused, and then mumbled something under her breath. "You know what, let's just get to Chorrol. The sooner this is done and over with, the sooner I can find a strong drink and a warm bed to crawl into." She turned around and started back in the direction of the city. Wyllin shrugged and followed her. The two had remained almost completely silent for the rest of the journey to Chorrol.

* * *

Finding out anything about Lindai was only moderately successful. Not many normal citizens knew much about it, other than it was some crumbling Ayleid ruin somewhere east of the city. After splitting up and searching until late in the evening, they met at one of the taverns and settled down for the night. By that point, Adryna was getting antsy.

"East of Chorrol," She mumbled as she clicked her nails against the mug in her hands. "That's the only thing Gallus had mentioned in his journal as well. He never really went into detail about these things outside of the plans he kept in the guild's vault. Every day we spend here, the closer Mercer gets to escaping with what he's looking for within."

"We'll find him."

She sighed. "I hope so. If just  _finding_ Lindai is this much trouble, I wonder what issues we'll face once we get inside. Well, what issues Mercer hasn't already taken care of..."

"I went through a couple of them in the past during the four or so years I spent wandering Cyrodiil before I came to Skyrim," Wyllin told her. "Traps, undead, bandits. Certain areas are probably completely inaccessible due to cave ins after all this time. Still, it's nothing either of us haven't faced before, probably, if you have any experience of dungeon diving back in Skyrim."

"My line of work constantly has me on the hunt for treasure. I've explored my fair share of dungeons back home." After saying that, she paused for a moment, and her eyes widened, as if she realized something. When she spoke again, her tone was more hushed than before. "You know what, my guild has a branch here in Cyrodiil. Last I checked, there's a few members in this city, and I have my Shadowmark badge. If I can get in contact with them, maybe we can figure something out. Chances are they'll know more about valuable artifacts than normal citizens."

"That's probably our best bet then."

"Cyrodiil's guild is more secretive than Skyrim's though. They don't trust many outsiders, and the only reason I might get an audience with one of them is because of my status. I'll probably need to do this alone, if you don't mind."

Wyllin shrugged. "I can deal with that. Hopefully something comes out of this."

Adryna downed the rest of her drink and wiped off her mouth as she stood up. "I'll be back in a few hours. Chances are the beggars around here will know something useful." She paid her tab and then headed back out into the city. In the meantime, her companion was able to secure a room for the both of them. Chorrol must've been busy that night and there wasn't many rooms available, but it didn't exactly bother her. Maybe she wouldn't have trusted Adryna at first, but she knew better by that point.

The elf passed the time with her arrow crafting. Given all the enemies the two had fought along the road to Chorrol, she was starting to run low. As she went about it, she began to lose herself in her thoughts. One very specific person invaded them, as he often did during the night. Admittedly, she felt worse and worse each time she thought about him. How long had it been since she left for Cyrodiil? A good few weeks at least, maybe longer. She'd lost track of time. Part of her wondered if he'd even still be there once she got back... Or if she'd even be able to face him if he was. She was so consumed by those thoughts that she hadn't noticed Adryna's return until she was speaking.

"Alright so I-" She took a step back when the elf nearly jumped out of her skin. "Shit. Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

She looked over to Adryna, and then shook her head. "It's fine. I was just... Too focused. Anyway, what were you saying?"

"Right." She closed the door behind her and then settled down on one of the beds. "So, I have good news and bad news... Luckily, the good outweighs the bad." When Wyllin nodded for her to go on, she did. "I found out the location of Lindai, and it's not too far from here. If we hurry up, we might be able to get there before Mercer is... Severely disappointed."

Wyllin furrowed her brow. "Disappointed?"

"The artifact he's after - the Ayleid Crown of Lindai - isn't there. It hasn't been since the late third era. I'm honestly surprised that Gallus never found that out." She shrugged. "I was hoping to bring that back to the guild, but it doesn't matter. Tracking down Mercer is my first and only priority."

"Of course. So, we set out tomorrow?"

"At the asscrack of dawn. I want to get there as soon as possible."

"Luckily we have Vullokruth then. I know it's probably hard to believe, but I trust him enough to get us there in one piece. You know the exact location, right?"

"Yeah. I should probably tell you something before we do all of this though."

Wyllin tilted her head. "What?"

Adryna sighed. "Mercer Frey is a former follower of Nocturnal. In fact, he was part of a secret group within Skyrim's Thieves' Guild known as the Nightingales. Karliah and Gallus were as well at the time, and the former had brought on me and another member to restore the Trinity before we tried tracking him down the first time. Last we knew, Mercer still had the boons of being a Nightingale despite the fact he turned on Nocturnal and stole her artifact, and I don't know if that's changed since then. If it hasn't... Shadows preserve us."

"But you said you're one as well, right? We should be on an even playing field."

"He managed to evade not only one, but all  _three_ of the Nightingale Trinity the last time he escaped. Mercer's skills exceed his luck. Now that Nocturnal's influence has come back to us, maybe his former status has changed, but we won't know until we find them." Adryna shook her head. "Regardless, we need a strategy, and I've been thinking about it the entire time we've been traveling."

"Okay..."

"When we get there and find him, I'm going to confront him first and try to distract him. Stick to the shadows until I signal for your help. With any luck, he might not realize you're there until it's too late."

"Alright. Let's hope this works."

"With the Night Mistress on my side, it just might, but we can never be too careful with someone like Mercer."

Wyllin nodded, and then curiously peered at her companion. "By the way, can I ask you something?"

"Anything, sera."

"Your connection with Nocturnal... Is that what makes your eyes... Purple?" Was that a weird question? That was probably a weird question.

In any case, it had Adryna chuckling. She then nodded. "I might've not realized it until recently, but I've had a... Strange connection to Nocturnal for almost all my life. My parents were both impressive thieves in their time, but have since retired. Larceny has literally been in my blood since birth. When I became a Nightingale, I began to realize my true purpose. Karliah's the same way, actually."

"Ahh... Funny enough, my parents are kind of the same way, but with Y'ffre." She scratched the back of her neck. "My mother's side has had a special connection to Valenwood itself for... Generations. It's to the point it's even ingrained itself in our appearance over time. Not many Bosmer have the bright green eyes I inherited from my mother. Dark green, maybe. Brown, orange, black... Anyway, even 'Springlock', my family name, is homage to it. Spring's the season most tied to nature, and 'lock' resembles our own ties to it. Sounds kind of dumb when you say it out loud, but yeah."

"I've heard stranger things in my time. Honestly, it sounds like the name some pretentious thief would take on as well."

That had the elf laughing. "You know what, I never thought of it that way. Anyway, we should probably get some rest. It's been... A long-ass few weeks."

"Yeah. Hopefully this is all over tomorrow."

"Hopefully."


	47. Mercer Frey

The morning came quickly. Wyllin had been restless, but managed to at least get a few hours of sleep in. By the time she woke up, the other bed was empty, and Adryna must've been preparing for the trip. She was eventually found down in the tavern eating breakfast. Adryna invited her over. Once Wyllin was settled, they idly chatted about Lindai, and just how they were going to take care of Mercer. Adryna was still adamant about being the distraction, though she was still unsure about whether it would work or not.

After eating and stocking up on supplies, they headed out of Chorrol. Once they were certain they were far enough away from the city, Wyllin turned her attention to the skies.  _"VUL-LOK-RUTH."_  Her Words brought forth the dragon from the previous day. He'd promised to stick around, and was apparently true to his word.

"And so we meet again,  _thuri."_ He said upon landing in front of the two. "I trust you've found out where these ruins are located?"

"Yep, thanks to my friend here." She gestured towards the somewhat concerned Breton, and Vullokruth curiously looked her over.

"She seems to be... Uncomfortable in my presence. I do not blame her." He quietly bowed his head towards Adryna.  _"Unslaad krosis._  I know our first meeting was not the most pleasant. I assure you that I only wish to serve the  _Dovahkiin,_  now that she's proven her strength. Given how you are her  _Grah-Zeymahzin,_  her ally in battle, I shall grant you the same respect I give to her."

"I... Um... Okay?" His words clearly did little to comfort her. She furrowed her brow and looked towards Wyllin. "As long as you're sure this is a good idea."

"I've done this before," Wyllin assured her as she gestured for Vullokruth to lower his head. Once he did, she clambered onto his neck, and then held out her hand. Adryna reluctantly took it, and was soon settled down behind her. Once Wyllin gave the go ahead, the dragon launched himself into the air, and they took off in the direction he was ordered to go. A trip that could've taken a few hours on foot was cut down to minutes, which Adryna was thankful for. The sooner they got to Mercer, the better, even if it meant traveling on the back of some huge beast everyone in Skyrim feared.

They landed just outside of the Ayleid ruin they'd been looking for. As Wyllin thanked Vullokruth, Adryna explored around the outside. When her companion finally caught up with her, she realized what the thief had taken interest in.

"Bodies?"

She nodded as she knelt down beside one of them to examine it further. "Bandits, from the look of it. They must've been inhabiting this place before Mercer came. Each one has an arrow clean through their neck or their skull. Poor bastards never stood a chance against him. I reckon anyone else inside is taken care of as well, but that remains to be seen. The bodies are fresh though. He might still be here. Are you ready for this, sera?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's get inside."

After locating the entrance, both of them carefully traveled through the ruins. Any potential enemies they would've encountered were already dealt with, but Mercer was extra careful with the traps. Pretty much all of them were intact, or at least reset by him. Tricky bastard. Every inch of the place was searched as well, either by the bandits or by Mercer himself. They kept as quiet as they possibly could, and their searching eventually paid off. Muttering was heard deep within the ruins. The way Adryna looked at Wyllin made it clear that they'd found their target. She signaled for the Bosmer to stay back while she slowly crept down the hall. Then something... Odd happened.

Adryna took a deep breath, and with a wave of her hand, shadows covered her, and her form began to change... No, it wasn't her form. It was her outfit. It went from the adventuring gear she'd chosen instead of her thief attire to something else entirely. It covered her entire body, and was black as night, just like her weapons. The only thing that wasn't covered was her eyes, but they weren't even visible from Wyllin's perspective. On the front of her chestpiece was an odd symbol. While the elf had never seen it before, her past conversations with the guildmaster led her to assume it was the symbol for the Nightingales.

"Surprised?" Adryna asked the clearly dumbfounded Bosmer in a hushed voice. "This is Nocturnal's gift. I'll need its enchantments if I go against Mercer. Remember our plan and stay hidden while I distract him." She then turned and slowly made her way towards the sound of the voice.

"Damn thing isn't even here," The voice from within grumbled. "Was this a trick, Gallus? Even from beyond the grave, you've made a fool out of me. One of these days, I'll have my revenge."

"That day will never come, Frey," Adryna spoke up, which caught the former guildmaster off guard.

He quickly turned to face the woman who spoke, and then growled. "First this crown is gone, and then the quickest exit to this room collapses, and now  _you?_ Clearly the Gods have forsaken me." That last line was said in a clearly sarcastic tone.

"They've abandoned you a long time ago, and it's finally caught up with you. Even the gifts of the Night Mistress have waned because of what you've done. There's no way out." An arrow was pulled back and aimed at him. "I'm going to end you and avenge Gallus."

"You petty guild thieves and your pointless loyalties. Why should we have them when they only hold us down?" He scoffed and drew his blade. "Daedric Princes, friends, guild members. They all fail you in the end. Sadly, you won't live to ever realize this!" As the conversation was going, Wyllin carefully snuck into the room. With Mercer's focus completely on Adryna, he never once noticed the figure creeping through the shadows.

"They weren't the ones to fail you, Mercer. You turned your back on them. Now your head will adorn the walls of the cistern, and I'll have the privilege of bringing it there." Once she said that, she motioned towards Wyllin. From off in the shadows, an arrow lodged itself into Mercer's shoulder, causing him to drop his weapon due to the shock.

He growled and turned in the direction, only to see darkness. "So you've brought a friend? Which one? Karliah? Brynjolf? Maybe that little brat you fancy?" A throwing knife was pulled from his belt and flung in the direction the arrow came. One of the shadows moved out of the way to dodge it. He figured out Wyllin's location, and smirked. "No, it doesn't matter. Neither of you will be escaping."

"Enough talk!" Adryna growled. She took aim and fired. Mercer had just enough time to narrowly avoid her arrow, which only barely skimmed one of his pauldrons and then uselessly bounced off the stone wall behind him. After that, she drew her blade and charged towards the other Breton, which was met with his. He struggled to fend her off, but eventually managed to send her stumbling back. Meanwhile, Wyllin had readied her bow once more, and was attempting to get a clear shot on Mercer. When he pushed Adryna away, she finally got that, and sent her arrow soaring. In her haste, she'd only managed to stick him in the side, but that was still enough to get his attention.

"I'm just about done with your friend!" He sent some kind of spell her way as she was reloading her bow. She didn't have enough time to throw up her ward before it struck her. The attack sent her to the ground, and she struggled to even move. Paralysis? Oh no...

Adryna had recovered soon after and lashed out at him, finally landing a hit. The slice that tore right through his sleeve and deep into his arm had him returning his focus completely on her once more. With Wyllin incapacitated, he only had her to deal with. It was clear to the elf that her companion wasn't over exaggerating Mercer's abilities. He matched her strike for strike almost effortlessly, even with his blade arm wounded by an arrow.

At least with Mercer distracted, Wyllin could make an effort to recover. Paralysis spells never lasted forever. All she needed was movement of her arms. After a few seconds, that's what she got, and she was able to push herself up and back against the wall. Shouting wasn't the greatest of ideas with Adryna in such close range, but she still had her spells. In her one hand, sparks began to flicker. Then her spell was released and hit Mercer on the middle part of his back.

The blast sent him stumbling forward, and Adryna was able to trip him. He crashed to the ground and only had enough time to roll onto his back before she was on top of him. Her blade was held high into the air.

The bolt mixed with the woman that was pinning him down left him immobilized. He just stared up at her with a look of pure hatred. "So, this is where it ends?"

"Shadows take you, Mercer Frey." The blade was then plunged into his chest, twisted it, and held there until she was sure he was dead. Then she stood up and pulled the hood and mask of her armor down. Her attention was turned towards Wyllin, who just barely managed to get to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," She reassured, and then looked down at the corpse. "So, it's done then?"

Adryna nodded. "He might not be able to answer for his crimes in front of the guild, but he will be judged by Nocturnal, and she doesn't take too kindly to those who betray her." Mercer's dagger was retrieved from the ground, and then its sheath from Mercer's belt. "This'll at least be enough for them to know he's dead."

"No mounting heads on walls?"

She chuckled softly. "I'd rather not have to deal with the stench as it decays..." She then went quiet for a moment as she examined the dagger in her hand. "Gods though, I thought I'd feel better once this was all over."

Wyllin sighed. "It's not like taking the life of someone you know is the easiest thing to do, Adryna."

"Right... Well, this world's a better place without him. That's probably all I can ask for right now." The blade was sheathed. Once her armor had returned to normal, she attached it to the side of her belt. "Thanks for being here for this, by the way. Even if I  _was_ able to take him down without any help, I don't think I could've done this on my own. I respected him at one point, you know?"

"You did what you had to do. He needed to pay and wouldn't have come back to the guild. This was the only way."

"That doesn't stop me from wishing it wasn't. Still, it's done. I can't change that, and I'll probably let go of it with time. We should get back to Skyrim though. I'm sick of looking at this place."

"Probably for the best. I have... Someone I need to talk to."

Adryna tilted her head to the side. "The person you mentioned before back in Falkreath?"

The elf nodded and sighed. "I just... Hope he can forgive me."

"If he truly cares, he will. Anyways, yeah. Let's get out of here..." She started towards the exit, but then paused and looked back towards Wyllin. Some kind of... Odd smile crept its way onto her face. "I wonder if that dragon's still around."

That had her companion laughing. "We'll have to see."

* * *

Returning to the Rift on the back of a dragon was much easier than going on foot. Luckily, Vullokruth was close enough to hear Wyllin's call. Apparently, he kind of figured she'd need a lift back to Skyrim. Gods, after all that time, she'd begun to actually miss the province... And not wearing that damned disguise. They landed somewhere not too far from Riften, and then walked the rest of the way. Though, when they headed inside of the city, things definitely seemed... Off.

"Imperials," Adryna mumbled to her companion. "And a lot of them too. What... Happened here?"

"The Rift's a Stormcloak-aligned hold, isn't it?"

"Exactly." She frowned. "Did the Empire really manage to take control?"

"Looks like it. Come on. Maybe someone from the guild can fill us in on all of this."

Brynjolf and Karliah awaited them in the Ragged Flagon. Apparently both of them had been worried the entire time they were gone. Adryna had ensured them that Mercer was dead, and his dagger was displayed on the guildmaster's desk.

After the reunion was over, Adryna and Wyllin were sat at the bar. Talk of the Imperial victory in the Rift had definitely reached the members of the Thieves' Guild, which was to be expected. Apparently, none of them were really concerned about it though. In fact, the Imperials were constantly having to fend off any Stormcloaks that tried to retake the Rift, so they never bothered with the guild. They always had more important things to focus on.

The only thing that'd bothered Adryna was the fact Maven Blackbriar had become Jarl in Laila Law-Giver's place. While she didn't exactly care for either of them, she clearly felt that Maven wasn't suited for such a position, regardless of her allegiance with the guild. From what little Wyllin knew of the Blackbriars, she completely understood why.

After a couple of drinks, Adryna beckoned for Wyllin to follow her into the cistern. Once they were in there, she turned to her companion. "You're still wanting that information on the Crescents, right?"

"Yeah, that's kind of why I signed up for this."

"Of course. Before we left for Cyrodiil, I told Delvin that if we returned successful, he was to give you any information he had on them. On top of that..." Her eyes shifted to a Bosmer lingering in the corner of the room. "That's Niruin. He's a former member of the Silver Crescents who left due to complications with his father. While he's not affiliated with them anymore, he might have some information that Delvin doesn't know. Feel free to ask him about what he knows if you want. I already talked to him about it."

Wyllin nodded. "Thank you." As she was turning away, Adryna grabbed her arm and she looked back with a curious expression.

"Also, as far as I'm concerned, you're considered an ally to the guild. I'll inform any members I can about this, and they'll know not to bother you. If you're ever in Riften, don't be a stranger, alright? You're always welcomed in the Flagon, sera." She smirked.

Honestly, if she said that mere weeks before, Wyllin probably wouldn't have been as open to the idea of any form of association with the guild. Still, Adryna had opened her eyes quite a bit in their time traveling together. Even if she was still wary of thieves, she did view Skyrim's guild in a new light at the very least. She smiled and thanked Adryna again. When her arm was released, she turned away from her again and made her way over to Niruin.

He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Apparently, he'd been observing the entire conversation from a distance, and then smiled in a rather concerning way at Wyllin as she approached. "Well, if it isn't the Dragonborn. Taking down Mercer was quite the feat. You've earned our guildmaster's approval, and thusly the entire guild's. Now, I believe she mentioned you wanting to talk about a certain group I ran with in the past?"

She nodded. "Well, a very specific member of that group, actually."

"Oh?"

"What can you tell me about a member known as Endris?"

Niruin thought for a moment. "He's someone I haven't thought about in a long while. Quite the... Strange fellow, but most of the Crescents are. They're all outcasts in some sort of way, after all. Anyway, last I checked, Endris was a very influential member of the group. Not the leader by any means, but he weaseled his way to the top very early on in his career. Apparently many of his predecessors were thieves as well, but from different branches." As he spoke, Wyllin noticed a frown growing on his face. "I never liked him. He was always a conniving little bastard with little regard to anyone else. We might be thieves, but many of us still have certain morals we live by. He never had any. Shortly before I left my life in Valenwood behind, I remember him bringing on some new recruit, and she wasn't completely comfortable with the idea at first. Still, she was loyal to him, for whatever reason."

"Cyliel..." She murmured.

"Ahh, you know her? I almost feel sorry for you. He treats that woman like an object, or some prize he won through a gambling match, rather than like an actual person. Poor lass. I haven't had any contact with the Crescents for a good few years now, so I don't know if that's changed, but I doubt it has."

Wyllin's fingers curled into fists. Before she decided to punch the nearest wall, she quickly changed the subject. "I'm looking to... Have a chat with Endris. Is there  _any_ sort of way I can get in touch with the Crescents?"

Niruin shook his head. "I'm afraid you'd have to ask Delvin about that. Any information I could give is surely outdated by now. I wish you luck though. Do send my regards to Endris if you actually manage to meet up with him. Preferably with a punch to the gut for ratting me out to my father."

"Alright, thank you, Niruin. I should go talk to Delvin then."

He nodded. "See you around,  _riel."_

Wyllin gave him an unamused look when he called her that, and he smirked in return. Instead of making a comment, she chose to turn around and walk away. It was always wise to pick one's battles, after all. Delvin was out in the Ragged Flagon, sitting at a table with a mug in his one hand. Someone else was with him though. Admittedly, she hadn't recognized the woman with her hood up. The moment she caught sight of those ice blue eyes, however, she knew.

"Well, if it isn't the Dragonborn," Laurissa greeted with an all-too sweet smile. "Been a while since I heard anything about you. Typically your travels are well documented." The elf just stood there, staring her down, to which she responded with a curious look. "Is something wrong?"

"You know  _exactly_ what's wrong," She replied between gritted teeth. "What are you even doing here?"

The Imperial chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest. "What am  _I_ doing here? I could ask  _you_  the same question. You don't strike me as the type to run with these sorts, but I've been wrong about people before." She shrugged her shoulders. "As for what I'm actually here for, that's none of your concern. I work for the guild, and that's all you need to know." This woman worked for the guild? Fantastic.

Delvin had been looking from one of them to the other as they spoke the entire time. When he cleared his throat, he caught their attention. "Laurissa, do you think you could hold that thought for a moment? Let me see what our friend here wants."

"Very well, Delvin." Her eyes flickered towards Wyllin, and a devilish smile curled on her face. "Be seeing you around, miss Springlock... Maybe." Maybe? What the  _fuck_ did 'maybe' mean? She was  _undoubtedly_ going to start fucking with her again the moment she was able to, if Bishop's word was anything to go by. Wyllin growled softly, but didn't respond. As Laurissa walked away, her focus turned to Delvin.

He must've decided that it was best to forget that encounter happened. "Alright, is there somethin' you needed, miss? I know Adryna mentioned you wantin' information on a certain branch a' the guild. The Silver Crescents, was it?"

She nodded and took a seat next to him when he gestured for her to do so. "Niruin mentioned that you might have more up to date information on them? I'm looking into one person in particular. He's... Caused me issues."

"Got a score to settle I see? Don't worry. I understand. If you got the guildmaster's approval, I'm fine with givin' you any information you need."

Each question Wyllin asked, he answered, just as he promised. The group ran out of Greenshade, unsurprisingly, and had contacts throughout all of Valenwood. Their association with other Thieves' Guild branches had always been shaky at best. As Niruin explained before, the majority of them were pretty odd. They never really fit in with society, and most of the members just wanted to rebel against it. Many of the members viewed the Crescents as more than just some group of thieves.

Still, when the topic of Endris came up, Delvin made it clear that most viewed him as the worst of the lot, and was somewhat hesitant when Wyllin asked if there was any way to get in contact with him. Of course there was, though she'd undoubtedly have to go through other associates first. When Delvin said he was undoubtedly able to pull a few strings, she almost jumped at the offer. Something held her back, however.

Or, well,  _someone._  Bishop had been plaguing the back of her mind the entire time she was gone, and maybe it was time to actually do something about it. They'd been out of Skyrim for several weeks at that point. Maybe it was for the better that she put her grudge against Endris to the side and actually got back to her partner. Let him at  _least_ know she was alive. He deserved that much. Delvin agreed to hold off on getting in contact with the Crescents until she was ready. After her goodbyes, she slipped out through the secret exit into the cemetery, and then left the city through the back gates.

Admittedly, the main roads probably would've been a quicker way to get to Falkreath, but she kept primarily to the forest. Stormcloaks were still traveling through them constantly, and she didn't want to bother with them. Chances were that everyone knew the Dragonborn had sided with the Legion by that point. Luckily, they were mostly just picking fights with Imperial patrols, and she was easily able to sneak by them while they were in the midst of combat. She also didn't want to bother one of her dragon allies just to get across hold borders either. Falkreath wasn't more than a few days travel for her, and she could move a lot quicker without anyone else tagging along.

There was a problem that she probably should've anticipated, but didn't for whatever reason. When the Imperials had control of a hold, the Thalmor had free reign. She'd set up camp somewhere just off the main roads for the night. Her tent was pitched, a fire was lit. She sat by the latter, skinning and cutting up a rabbit she'd caught earlier on in the day. That's when she was confronted by a robed Thalmor and his footslogger lackey.

The blade and rabbit were sat off to the side. "Is there a problem?"

"Well, well, well," The Thalmor chuckled. "If it isn't the mighty Dragonborn." Alright, what in  _Oblivion_ did this asshole want? "No one's heard anything about you for a while now. You know, Ambassador Elenwen has been looking to speak with you."

"Good for her. I'm not interested." When she stood up, both of the Thalmor drew their weapons. That had her immediately putting her hands up and taking a couple of steps back. "Woah. What the fuck? Last I checked, I'm not an enemy to the Empire  _or_ the Dominion."

"I'm afraid Lady Ambassador doesn't see it that way. Either come quietly, or we'll drag you to the embassy by force."

"I'm not going  _anywhere."_ Luckily, she still had her daggers at her hips, and reached for them. "Think I can't kill you here and now?"

"You don't stand a chance." After he said that, he looked towards something over her shoulder. She didn't even have time to process that simple gesture. Someone came up from behind and struck her over her head, and then her vision blacked out.


	48. Captured

_(A/N: Warning for violence and torture. Nothing extremely graphic though._

_Also, this is a pretty shortish chapter.)_

It'd taken a few minutes for Wyllin to register her surroundings. Everything was dark and cold, and her entire world was spinning. There was... Stone walls, and a wooden floor. Water was leaking in and dripping from somewhere. A sizable knot had formed on the back of her head, and she wasn't able to remember what it was from. The moment she tried to reach up to it though, her arm was stopped partway. When she tried to move it again, she heard the sound of chains rattling. As she took in everything, she realized her dragonscales were swapped out for rags. She didn't have her weapons or her other gear. Once her senses came back to her, she realized what was going on, and then immediately started to panic.

"Easy now," An oddly familiar voice told her. "There's no use in struggling. You're only going to hurt yourself."

Her eyes drifted to the corner of the room, where she was able to vaguely make out another figure in the dim lighting. He was chained down like her. "Wh... What's going on? Who are you? Where am I?"

He sighed. "One question at a time, Dragonborn." Dragonborn? Nobody actually close to her called her that. Why did his voice sound so familiar then?

"Alright..." The elf took a deep breath. Maybe start with something easy, Springlock. "Who are you?"

"I suppose I've never formally introduced myself to you, have I? My name is Synddriel. We've met before, when you were dealing with a certain Penitus Oculatus pest..."

Her eyes widened. "You're the assassin from the Brotherhood."

"I'm  _technically_  their leader now, but that's not important." He shook his head. "As for where we are... I can't tell you for certain. Somewhere deep inside the Reach I think, if what I've heard from our captors is anything to go by."

"Our captors? Who are they?"

"Thalmor."

She paused. The Thalmor caught her and have her locked away with an assassin somewhere outside of their embassy? What the fuck? "What did I even  _do_ to get here?"

"Not sure. They sometimes talk about you nearby when they think I'm sleeping. They mentioned catching you somewhere on the outskirts of the Rift. I don't know what they intend to do to you, but..." She was unable to see the grim expression he wore, but the tone of his voice was enough to portray it. "Chances are it's not good."

As he spoke, she was trying to piece together the last thing she remembered. She was traveling through the Rift, on her way to Falkreath to start searching for her brother and Bishop. That was after she dealt with the Thieves' Guild. The days after leaving the city were... Fuzzy at best. She didn't know when they caught her. The only thing she was certain of was they knocked her out with some... Blunt object.

"Dragonborn?"

His voice had her snapping back into the present. "Sorry, I was just... Trying to remember." She made another attempt to move her hand. Both of them were chained to the wall, and there was also something made of leather and metal around her neck. When she finally looked down at her hands, she frowned. "These cuffs have... Glowing runes on them."

Synddriel nodded. "From what I gather, they suppress magic. I can't even cast the simplest of spells with these things on. I'd assume that collar around your neck is meant to keep you from Shouting as well? Odd. It would've been a lot easier to just tie a cloth around your mouth."

Shouting? Right. She could do that. Well, she could  _normally_ do that. Though the moment she tried, the only thing that came out was a strained cough. Her Voice was just another form of magic, it would seem. Even her wolf, which  _wasn't_ traditional magic, felt suppressed. For the first time since Wyllin had gotten her beast blood, she actually felt... Scared? That didn't sit well at all for her equally terrified host, and that also meant she couldn't transform. Her attention turned back to the assassin. "Well, I have no idea why I'm here, but maybe it could help if I found out why you are?"

"Hmm... I suppose there's no point in hiding it. It's possible that neither of us might even leave here alive anyway, as much as I want to believe otherwise." How  _reassuring,_  Synddriel. "I helped someone cross the border from Skyrim to Hammerfell after I'd gotten her into a lot of trouble. I was  _supposed_ to be meeting the remnants of the Brotherhood at our Dawnstar sanctuary but... I couldn't turn my back on this woman when I found she had escaped and was hiding out in the forests."

"You don't like innocents being harmed. I gathered as much."

He nodded. "Exactly. The problem is I crossed the Empire, and therefore crossed the Dominion, and they don't like that. They found me while I was traveling through the Reach. Those bastards blindfolded and cuffed me, and then forced me onto a carriage and brought me here, taunting me the entire time. I can't tell you how long I've been in this cell, just barely kept alive. I can't even tell you  _why_  they're keeping me alive." He shook his head. "Anyway, you were brought in here just recently. Maybe a few hours ago?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Funny. You don't act like someone who's been barely kept alive."

"I'm running on adrenaline. I feel like the moment I close my eyes, I'm not going to wake back up. I'd be damned if I let these bastards kill either of us here though." He then scoffed. "I've been looking for a way out since I was chained to this wall, and I'll be taking down as many Thalmor as I can once I find it."

"I'd gladly join you in that, but I don't know if it's possible. I've never dealt with suppressing enchantments this strong before, and you already said before that we might not make it out alive."

"The odds are clearly stacked against us,  _rume,_ but if there's a will, there's a way. Let's just hope they don't kill us before we can figure this out."

Wyllin was about to speak again, but something caught her attention. Despite the state her wolf was in, she still had her heightened senses, and she was able to just  _barely_ make out the sound of footsteps. Someone was approaching. She looked towards Synddriel, hoping he was able to see the look on her face, and he was. They both fell silent.

A door was opened to reveal a Thalmor agent dressed in elven armor. He grinned wickedly at the sight before him. "Well now. It seems our newest guest is finally awake! Elenwen would certainly like to know about this. Come on then, sapsucker." Well... At least that was more creative than what the Nords often used for her. When she was finally unchained from the wall, she felt compelled to at least  _try_ to attack - despite the fact the runed cuffs were still around her wrists - but she saw Synddriel shaking his head out of the corner of her eye. Maybe it was for the best.

She silently walked down the hall with two Thalmor. The one who'd entered the cell was dragging her a long, and the other had something sharp pointed to her back. Anytime he felt she was going too slow, he'd... Encourage her to pick up her pace with a brief, but ultimately harmless, jab to her spine. As they went, she was silently coaxing her wolf into action. Her transformation would've been more than enough to break her bindings. It would seem that her once-fearless beast had reverted back into a scared little pup, however. That wouldn't keep the elf from trying though.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she was thrown onto a chair. The two worked quickly to bind her to it. Wrists, ankles, and torso were tied down by rope. The cuffs and collar remained on, unsurprisingly. She was left alone in the room for a few minutes when the two soldiers left to guard the exits. During that time, she was examining her surroundings. Her survival instincts had long since kicked in. She wanted out, and she'd risk anything to do it. Those Dominion bastards were calculating, however.

They thought of everything. The area around her was cleared out. Anything that could've been useful was well out of her reach in her current position. Trying to throw her chair back would only end in pain and frustration. With Synddriel still incapacitated, it seemed like there was no hope, but a part of her refused to accept that.

Again, her mind was torn away from thoughts of escape as someone entered the room. Her eyes narrowed at the robed Thalmor. She'd recognize that face anywhere.  _Elenwen._

"I have to admit, I'm rather impressed with my men. They brought you here alive and in one piece." The Bosmer growled at her, which only had her tilting her head to the side and giving her a smirk. "Don't be so hostile, dear Dragonborn."

Wyllin scoffed at her. "I'm being hostile? You went out of your way to send your men to capture me and put me in this position. Cut the shit, Elenwen.  _Why_ am I here?"

Her expression went from vaguely amused to dark. She glared down at the little elf before her. "Oh, I assure you that you were brought here for a reason. You've been nothing but a thorn in my side from day one. Just the very thought of you would be enough to... Inspire others. Turn them away from what's best for the Dominion. We already have one rebellion to deal with in Skyrim. We don't need another."

"I'm not causing any rebellion."

"Oh, that's where you're wrong." She shook her head. "It's undeniable that many of this province view you as their savior. They look up to you, and you have a lot of influence, whether you know it or not."

"So I'm a threat to the Dominion?" Wyllin asked, and then let out a bitter laugh. "What is one little Bosmer going to do to you robed bastards?"

"You've done plenty already. Where do I even begin?" She began to pace around the chair with her arms behind her back. "You've infiltrated my embassy and you've stolen classified information. Whether that was for 'the safety of Nirn' or not is irrelevant. You even killed some of my most loyal mer in the process! In fact, you've gone even beyond my embassy with what you did to Ancano."

"That crazy bastard? He was going to destroy half of Skyrim!"

"I can assure you that the Thalmor would've had things under control if it weren't for you, but you made it a point to stick your nose where it didn't belong. Besides, you can't tell me you weren't partially to blame for that, right? You  _were_ the one who set that chain of events in motion." She smirked, and Wyllin sneered in response.

"This wouldn't have happened if you assholes just stayed out of it all to begin with! Savos didn't even want you there to begin with!"

"I have little care for what that greyskin wanted. He agreed to Ancano's presence at the end of the day."

"And that only took what? Threats of violence? Maybe you could've riled up those local Nords into  _actually_ doing something? It's not like you piss stains are known for your diplomacy."

When she said that, Elenwen raised her hand and struck her across the face. As she was recovering from the shock, the Altmer spoke again. "I'm growing rather tired of your insults. You're in no position to be speaking to me this way. Regardless, there's no point in continuing this topic. I believe I was listing off your transgressions?"

"Oh please,  _do_ go on."

The sarcasm was obvious, but Elenwen still took it as an invitation. "Well, there's the fact that you've been consorting with known war criminals..."

War criminals? "The Blades?"

"Yes. We've been trying to eliminate them for decades now, and here you are interfering yet again... But I suppose I shouldn't have expected any better from you."

"They helped me save the entire world, you know."

Elenwen cackled bitterly. "Ah, I see. So what happened back at the embassy was Delphine's plan then? She was always the crafty sort. It's no wonder she's survived this long. No matter. They'll be eliminated when the time comes."

"I won't let that happen!" Delphine wasn't her favorite person...  _None_ of the Blades were at that point, but she wasn't about to just let them get killed.

Her captor raised an eyebrow. "And what position are you in to be making threats like that? There isn't a chance in Oblivion that you'd be able to escape those binds, and I've even taken the necessary precautions to render that Voice of yours completely useless." Right, how did she even do that? Was the great and powerful Thu'um of the dragons really just another form of magic? There wasn't much time to think about that at the moment.

"You're underestimating me," Wyllin growled. For just a second, her eyes flashed yellow. Was her wolf finally starting to recover?

"Really now?" Elenwen just cackled and reached for the dagger at her side. It was unsheathed and held up to her prisoner. It didn't take long for her to realize something off. While the blade was clearly made of moonstone - just like many weapons the Thalmor used - the edge was coated in something else... She could recognize that metal anywhere. Silver. How the fuck did Elenwen know about that?

"What..?"

"Surprised? Don't be. The Thalmor know a great many things about you, miss Springlock. It's unwise to leave loose ends untied." Loose ends? Did she mean..? Oh no... "And that little secret of yours isn't the only thing. While it's definitely an exploitable weakness that I  _do_ intend to use to the fullest, I know there are things far more precious to you." She smirked when Wyllin's eyes widened.

"Leave my friends and family the  _fuck_ out of this." It was clear that she struck a nerve. "Torture me all you want. Kill me. I don't care, but if you so much as hurt a damn hair on any of their heads, I will claw my way out of the depths of Oblivion and track you down like the animal you are."

"Oh believe me, I know they're innocent, but I want to send a message. Those that mess with the Thalmor will suffer the consequences, and the ones they care for most will ultimately meet the same fate. It doesn't matter what your status is in this world. You're  _expendable_ now, given the fact you've already fulfilled your 'destiny', and you'll soon fade into obscurity like every other 'hero' before you, dear Dragonborn." The tip of the blade was held under her chin, and she could already feel the burn of the silver. "And you want to know the worst part?  _You're_ the one who did this to them, and I'll make sure that they know it."

At that point, physical torture would've been godsend compared to what was going through her head. Something broke inside of her. Everything just went numb.

The weapon was lowered, and Elenwen sighed as she looked over her prisoner. "Was that really all it took to break you? Some Nordic legend you are. Then again, you wood elves were always an inferior race. Well, it doesn't matter. Regardless of what you do or say, I'm afraid everything's already been done." When that had Wyllin looking up again, her amused smile turned into a vicious grin. "Oh yes. By this point, the majority of them are gone. An entire village raided and burnt to the ground with no survivors."

"My village..." She mumbled. "M-my family. No, that's completely insane. You'll make enemies of everyone in Grahtwood..."

The Altmer shook her head. "You're overestimating their influence. I'm sure the other little wood elves will come around once they're reminded of who  _actually_ runs things in that area of the province now. We have far more control over Grahtwood than we did when you left." Elenwen shrugged her shoulders. "But that doesn't matter. The ashes are settled, and we've moved on to other targets. While that band of mutts called the 'Companions' might still be out of our reach, there's the ones not hidden behind walls. You know, like a certain Ranger?"

"Bishop..."

"Yes, him. He's been on our radar since we found out he accompanied you at the embassy." She then scoffed. "A Nord and a Bosmer though? You have such low standards. Anyway, some of my best scouts are hunting him down as we speak. Perhaps you'd like a preview of what they plan on doing to him? I happen to be rather adept at these things." She sheathed her dagger and raised her hand. Her fingers curled inwards, and Wyllin was suddenly struck with what she could only describe as the most painful experience she ever had in her life. The visions going on before her eyes had her screaming in agony, and Elenwen only looked on with that same sadistic grin.

* * *

The screams of pain coming from down the hall only fueled Synddriel's determination to escape. Those damn Thalmor were thorough, but perhaps not enough. Even without his magic, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve. It was difficult to do, but he eventually managed to dislocate his one thumb and carefully slip his hand out. After getting the other cuff off, he quickly healed his thumb and quietly made his way across the room. From the other side of the cell door, he could see a guard clad in elven armor and smirked. Only one?

A bang on the cell door immediately sprung the guard into action. He made his way in with his sword drawn. When he noticed the room was seemingly empty, he attempted to call out to the others, but was silenced when Synddriel hit him over the head with a large chunk of stone that'd fallen from the ceiling. Honestly, it was pretty stupid on their part to keep prisoners in some crumbling abandoned fort. The blade from the guard was taken, and his throat was cut for good measure. After that, Synddriel was on his way. The shadows of the dark hallways hid him as he quietly crept through them and took down any Thalmor agents he saw along the way. As painful as it was to hear, Wyllin's cries kept them from hearing his movements. Though when they finally died down, he knew he had to be more careful. Soon enough, he was approaching the door they'd taken Wyllin through, and deciding on how to take care of the guard outside of it.

Elenwen, of course, was blissfully ignorant to what was going on the entire time. She'd let up on the spell she was using at some point, and spoke up again. "It was rather foolish of you to have such easily exploitable weaknesses like this. Just the mere thought of what we could do to this pitiful... Partner of yours is enough to cause this much suffering? Pathetic."

"He doesn't deserve any of this."

"And yet you chose this path for him. You chose it the moment you dared to defy the Dominion. You really should've considered the consequences more thoroughly."

"I didn't."

"Are you so sure about that?" She clicked her tongue. "Well, regardless, I do believe It's high time I pick up the pace. Wouldn't you agree?" Her dagger was unsheathed once more. "You know, I've always wondered what would happen if I..." She trailed off mid-sentence, as though she was distracted by something. When she turned around, she was faced with the rather pissed off looking assassin that'd been standing behind her. "How on Nirn-" Her sentence was cut short when the sword he'd taken from the guard was driven through her stomach and pulled back out again. She was then shoved to the side. Her dagger had been dropped by his feet during the process, and he kicked it halfway across the room for good measure.

Wyllin's eyes widened. "Synddriel?"

He hushed her and quickly began to undo the rope on her arms. "Do you think your screams could've been any louder, Dragonborn?"

She groaned. "It's not like I could help it." When her arms were freed and the cuffs were off, she pulled the collar off of her neck and coughed. It felt like that damn thing was beginning to strangle her, and her throat definitely felt scratchy. It was going to be a while before she felt safe to Shout again. As she undid her leg restraints, she looked towards Synddriel, who was busy keeping Elenwen at bay. "How did you... You know what, nevermind. Aren't there more guards?"

"Took care of any in the immediate area." He shook his head and frowned at the Altmer he was standing over. "Don't know what possessed them to think they could hold an  _assassin_ captive." He then held the sword out to Wyllin as she shakily got to her feet. "Figure you'd want to do the honors."

She nodded and took the blade, and then briskly walked towards Elenwen. She grabbed the downed Altmer by the neck and forced her onto her back, and then held the blade against her throat. "You and your pathetic Dominion just made the worst enemy of your life."

"A-and just what are you going to do? Join the Stormcloaks, o-or perhaps rally that broken Empire against us?" Despite her position, she was still clearly amused by Wyllin's efforts to intimidate her. "Fa... Face it, Dragonborn. You're too powerless to go against us, no... No matter  _who_ you have standing with you."

"I  _will_ find a way. I  _always_ do."

"You and w-what army? By the time the Dominion's done, you'll have no one left who'd even care." With that, she began to laugh. Those words were the last straw, however, and that laughter was cut short when the blade was driven across her neck and she was almost completely decapitated.

"Dragonborn!" Synddriel called out as Wyllin sunk to the ground. He kneeled down next to her. "Now is not the time. I can hear others coming."

"I've lost everyone..." She mumbled as she continued to stare down at the dead Altmer in front of her. "They're gone, and it's my fault."

"No, it's not. Please, we need to get-" He stopped when she let out a growl... No normal elf could do something like that. It was too... Bestial. He quickly backed up when he heard it.

"I will kill  _every single one_  of these damned piss stains. They'll be prey for Hircine in the Hunting Grounds for the rest of eternity!"

Hircine? Hunting Grounds? "Dragonborn..." He watched as her form began to rapidly change. A werewolf. She was a  _werewolf._

She looked back at him. Her yellow irises practically glowed against her black sclera, and were filled with hatred. Though it wasn't directed at him, thankfully enough. When she saw a couple of soldiers enter from off to the side, she turned her focus on them, and her entire world went red. The only thing she could think about was seeing the innards of any Thalmor foolish enough to confront her splattered against the stone walls of the fort they imprisoned her in.


	49. A Promise

Wyllin bolted upright in the bedroll she was in, and then groaned in pain from her sudden movement.  _Everything_ hurt. Damn. She didn't have much time to think of that, however. The moment her senses fully kicked in, she realized something was off about where she was. A... Forsworn camp? She was in a bedroll... In a Forsworn camp... Dressed in rags and in a severe amount of pain. Dear gods...

"Look who's up," Someone commented from off to her side. She looked to see someone dressed in Brotherhood armor, leaning back against a wall. His hood was pulled down to reveal a familiar face.

"Synddriel..." She furrowed her brow. "Why... Why are we here? And why is no one  _killing_ us?"

He chuckled softly. "Don't worry, they're not going to kill us." He looked around at the Forsworn as they went about their lives. "A friend of mine got into a little trouble back in Markarth about a year or so ago. She ended up helping their leader escape from prison, and still visits from time to time. Brought me here once when I got into a bit of trouble myself. These guys know who I am and know I'm not a threat. I was carrying your unconscious body through the Reach when someone who apparently knows you stopped me. Nearly cut off my head until I convinced him I wasn't the one who put you in this state. He was the one who directed us here when he realized my connection to the place, actually."

"Someone who... Knows me?" She looked in the direction he gestured. At first, she was confused. There was a blond male dressed in Forsworn armor. His back was turned towards them, and he appeared to be oblivious to the fact she was awake. After a few seconds, the realization finally sunk in. "That's... Cael."

"Ah, so you remember him? He was kind of worried that you wouldn't, and wanted me to stick around until you woke up just in case." He shook his head. "Anyways, that's not important. Can you... Tell me what you remember from back in the prison?

"Uhh..." That was a good question, actually. She took a few moments to think about it. "I was thrown in there because the Thalmor... Wanted me to pay for everything I've done against them."

"What exactly  _have_ you done to cross them?"

"That's... Not important right now. I'd rather not get into it." She hugged her knees against her chest. "I'm pretty sure the one who orchestrated all of it was Elenwen, Skyrim's ambassador."

 _"Former_  ambassador," He corrected. "You made sure of that."

"I did..?" That's when everything else began to flood back. Everything Elenwen did and said. Her eyes widened and she began to shake. "She told me..."

Synddriel immediately stepped over to her, knelt down, and grabbed her shoulder. "Hey, calm down."

She slapped his hand away. "I can't  _calm down!_ She told me my family- My entire  _village_ is dead! And so is... So is my... Gods, I can't be here. I need to..." When she tried to stand up, another jolt of pain ran through her body, and she was forced back down again because of it.

"You're too injured to be 'needing to' do anything."

"I can just..." She held up her hand and began an incantation, only to have it shoved down by the assassin.

"Are you sure you should be casting spells right now? Not everyone agrees with you being here, supposed friend of a chieftain or not. The moment someone views you as a threat, things could become problematic."

She looked around. Right. Forsworn camp. "Alright. Do you at least have my gear? I'm still dressed in rags, so hopefully..."

"Yeah, one second." He got up and walked away. He returned moments later with her gear, her bag, and the pouch she kept strapped to her side. "I grabbed whatever I could. I don't know if everything's there, but..."

Wyllin took it all and began to look through it. Her armor was set off to the side. The pouch was flipped open, and she produced a small bottle with red liquid inside. "At least some of these made it through." When she noticed Synddriel giving her a strange look, she realized she needed to clarify. "Healing potions."

"Ahh." He nodded. "Never took you for the alchemist type, Dragonborn."

"Call me Wyllin, please."

"Alright. Not too fond of titles?"

"No. I would've told you sooner, but..." She sighed and shook her head. He obviously knew the reason. The bottle was uncorked, and the contents of it was downed. The effects set in immediately. After she was done, she turned back to the assassin. "I need to go. I need to check on my friends and family. If what Elenwen says is true..."

"Are you sure that's the smartest thing to do,  _rume?"_  He settled back down next to her. "They must mean a lot to you for Elenwen to do what she did, but if what she said is true, there's not much you can do to help the matter. Going there is just going to put your own life at risk."

"I..." Damnit. "Yeah. You're right, but I can't just... Let this slide. None of them deserved this."

"I know they didn't. No one deserves that."

"Everything else aside, I honestly didn't think the Dominion would have the balls to do what they did to my village. I've heard of their purges before. They think they keep them under wraps but... Valenwood itself weeps at the loss of our kin, and we all know the truth deep inside... Anyways, Cormount isn't just some village in the middle of nowhere. It's no Elden Root or Silvenar either, but still. Going after it was a huge risk."

"Going after  _any_ village in Valenwood is a huge risk. You said it yourself. We just know when something like this happens. The problem is that they can usually cover it up. Wild beast attacks, or some mage getting too carried away with flames." He shook his head. "Cormount is different though. Last I checked, a few prominent figures in Grahtwood reside there. Even in Malabal Tor, we knew of them. The Nightgroves, and their famous Treethane Larelyth. Oh, and those war heroes as well... Who were they? Riandriah and Brelhil Springlock, I believe..." He noticed the face she made when he said their names, and then frowned. "Wyllin, are you..."

"Riandriah and Brelhil are-...  _Were_ my parents." She'd never get used to saying that.

"Right, you're a Springlock... Gods, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

She held up a hand, and he stopped. "It's fine. You see why I need to get back to Valenwood though, don't you? I also need to go find-"

"You should get some rest first, and think about that when you're in a better state of mind." His eyes shifted back to the blond, who was looking towards them as another Forsworn was talking to him. "Looks like your friend noticed that you're awake. I have some things to think about if you want to go speak with him."

"I'd like to get changed first, honestly."

"By all means..."

She stood up and went to find a secluded place to change. Getting her armor on proved to be a bit of a challenge. Synddriel was right. She needed rest. Honestly, she doubted even her healing magic could fix  _everything._ That could come at a later date, however. When she dug through her backpack, she found that a lot of her equipment was gone, but it was all replaceable. Her armor was all there at least, and her talisman, and a certain ring had even made it through as well. Seeing it had her thinking back to the person that gave it to her, and a familiar pang of guilt set in. She tried to shove that guilt off to the side and continued on. Once everything was in order, she headed out and towards Cael.

He noticed her approaching and gave her a warm smile. "So you have finally woken up? You recover quickly, Wyllin."

"I wouldn't say I'm recovered," She mumbled. "But I'm functioning."

He nodded. "I suppose so. Synddriel was worried about you. He tried to hide it, but..."

"It was easy to tell?" She finished. "I noticed... Anyway, where are we?"

"Druadach Redoubt," He answered. "The rebellion's leader, Madanach, resides here. I come by from time to time. I'm guessing Synddriel told you how you got here."

"Yeah." She looked around and began to fiddle with the ring that was once again adorning her right index finger. "Never thought you guys would willingly accept outsiders."

"Not usually, no. Madanach recognized your friend right away, but it took a bit more convincing for them to allow you to stay here as well." He sighed. "My people can be paranoid even at the best of times, sadly."

"It's fine. I understand."

"Anyway, I... Couldn't help but notice something."

"Hmm?"

"You kept that gift."

Gift? It took her a moment to remember. "Oh! The necklace." That also seemed to have survived what happened with the Thalmor. She reached for her side pouch and pulled it off.

"Part of me expected you to toss it into the river once you were out of eyeshot... Or maybe that Ranger who followed you around like a lost puppy would have..."

"I didn't let him touch it, and..." She looked it over. "I don't know. It would've been rude to just toss away a gift."

He raised an eyebrow. "Even one from a savage?" There he went with the savage thing again. Why did he use that word? "Others could learn something about compassion from you."

"I guess so. By the way, what does this symbol on it mean? The stag's head?"

"Elk, actually."

"What?"

He chuckled. "Right. I suppose you wouldn't know of the symbolism. The elk is an important symbol to my people."

"The Forsworn?"

"The Reachmen."

"There's a difference?"

"Yes, in a way. I will refrain from boring you with the details, but I am the Chieftain of the Rudahan tribe. The elk is a symbol to us."

"I see... Part of me was just wondering why you gave me something with this symbol, of all things. I thought you knew about my connection with..." She frowned. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to divulge that.

"Your connection with Hircine?"

Shit. "I..."

He laughed. "Wyllin, I know the symbols of the Daedric Princes, and I noticed the one on that amulet you wear. A side view of a stag's head is an old symbol of Hircine, is it not?"

"Yeah... Not many seem to know that though, or at least they don't make it apparent if they do. I don't make an attempt to completely hide my affiliation but... Worship of the Princes is frowned upon by most."

"Understandable." He shook his head. "Regardless, that necklace was just something I had on hand. I suppose I wanted to give you something to remember me by, and it seems to have worked."

"That's... Really sweet of you, Cael." The necklace was reattached to her side pouch once more. "I should probably get back to Synddriel. There's something I need to talk to him about. It was nice to talk to you again."

"Farewell, Wyllin."

She smiled and then walked off. Synddriel was still where she'd seen him last. He was sat on the floor, cross-legged. When he noticed her approaching, he waved over to her.

"You seem troubled," He said as she took a seat by him.

"I am." She shifted around nervously. "I killed Elenwen. If word gets out about that, the Dominion's going to be hunting me down for the rest of my life. It's not a comforting thought."

"Understandable, but I might have information to put you a little more at ease."

"I'm listening."

"Elenwen kept her plans under wraps. Her imprisonment and torturing of the  _Dragonborn_ probably wouldn't have sat well with some if information got out. Even some among the ranks of the Thalmor might've been less than pleased. She didn't intend on you having any chance of escaping that prison alive, and also probably didn't intend on having me there as well. Regardless, she probably didn't feel the need to tell anyone about her plans outside of the ones she brought to guard the place..." He paused for a second. "Which you also took care of when you shifted."

"I turned into a werewolf?" She frowned when he nodded in response. "That... Makes a lot of sense, actually. I blacked out, and don't remember what happened after a certain point. That only happens when I shift unwillingly."

"I see. Well, your bloodlust was at least solely directed at the Thalmor. With all of them gone, I don't think word will get out, but I do have one more precaution I'm willing to take."

"What?"

"The ambassador's death is... Very high profile. People are going to start asking questions about her suddenly vanishing off the face of Nirn. I was planning on pinning her death on the Brotherhood to keep people from investigating."

"That's dangerous. You're going to paint a target on your back if you do that, Synddriel."

"I'm no stranger to that. Besides, we're already going after the Empire and its misbegotten figurehead. Targeting the Thalmor, while not part of the original plan, is just another spit in their faces. I'm sure our employer would understand."

"Well, if you really want to do that. I won't stop you. I'm still going to lay low for a while and let this all... Blow over, I guess." Could something like this  _actually_ 'blow over'? Probably not. "Thank you for this, Synddriel. How exactly are you going to do that though?"

"I've got a plan. Don't worry." He then frowned. "But I'll need to get on it as soon as possible. You should remain here for a while and rest. I can assure you that the Forsworn won't cause any issues."

"I can't do that." She looked down at her hand. More specifically, at the ring. "I need to get back to someone I care about, and I need to figure out what I'm going to do about Valenwood. This is going to eat at me until I know the truth." She didn't want to trust a damn thing Elenwen had said. Part of her had a feeling that she wasn't lying though. The Thalmor would do  _anything_ to ensure they stayed on top.

"Very well. Find someone to go with though. The Reach is dangerous."

"I can handle that." She got back on her feet. "Thanks for everything, Synddriel. If you weren't there..."

He gave her a kind smile. "Don't mention it. I still have planning to do. You should get back to that 'someone' you mentioned."

Hopefully he'd still be there. "I should." After saying her goodbyes to him and Cael, she headed out of the Redoubt and looked towards the skies. She took a deep breath, and then called out.  _"OD-AH-VIING."_

* * *

"I told you to get lost already, wench," Bishop growled as he pulled his arm away from the barmaid he was talking to. "Go find some other asshole to latch onto." After she finally gave up, he turned back to his drink. A few minutes passed by before someone else must've been brave enough to take a seat next to him. He was about to tell them off as well, until he realized who it was, and then groaned. "Why are you still fucking here? It's pretty clear she's never coming back. Go run back to your forests and dance naked around the trees in the rain, or whatever it is you wood elves do."

Valdras sighed. "She told me to wait here and look after you, Bishop, so that's what I'm going to do. We've been over this several times now."

"I don't need a babysitter," He growled. "Stop treating me like a child."

The elf raised an eyebrow and looked Bishop over. "Your condition is getting worse by the day. I can't count the number of times I've had to stop you from getting into a fight... Or caught you puking your guts out behind a tavern." He shook his head. "You say you don't want to be treated like a child, but you continuously act like one."

He slammed his mug down on the table and leered over at Valdras. "You better watch that tongue of yours before you say something you'll regret."

"Threatening me doesn't help your case," He sighed. "It doesn't matter what you say or do. I'm not going back on my promise to my sister."

"Well, at least she has  _one_ trustworthy sibling. If you ask me, she should just keep it that way. It's clear her sister wants nothing to do with her." He rolled his eyes. "Meddling with those Crescent bastards is only going to get her in trouble, if it hasn't already."

"You wouldn't understand her reasoning."

"Well, it's not like you're helping me with that. Anytime I ask, you skirt around the subject.  _Why_ does she feel like it's her personal goddamn mission to 'rescue' some bitch who probably doesn't even remember her name?"

"Watch what you call Cyliel, Bishop," Valdras warned. "She's my sister too."

"You guys are fucking insane, and you're still avoiding the question."

"It's not my place to tell you. I've already said they got into a fight, and Wyllin blames herself for driving her away. Yes, there  _is_ more to the story, but you'll just have to get her to explain it when she comes back."

 _"If_  she comes back."

"You should have more faith in her. She's survived worse than tracking down some guy in Cyrodiil. I only wish she thought twice about working with a group of thieves." Valdras sighed. "Anyways, maybe it's time-" A loud roar coming from outside cut him off. A dragon? He quickly got to his feet, grabbed his bow and quiver, and ran out the door. As he was heading outside, he barely caught sight of the dragon that'd flown over. Odd. It wasn't attacking.

Bishop had followed him out soon after. "The fuck?"

The elf was just standing in the street by the tavern. "Dragons don't normally come near Falkreath, let alone just fly past without attacking anything... And it's heading in the direction of Lakeview."

"Doesn't mean anything."

"Maybe not. I'm going to check it out though. Are you coming with me?"

The Nord sighed and shook his head. "I doubt she's going to be there, if that's what you're getting at. Last we checked, she ran off towards Riften. That dragon's coming from the Reach. It's probably just flying over, looking for some innocent wildlife to torch."

"Have it your way then." Valdras turned and bolted out of the city.

"Valdras!" Bishop tried to go after him, but he was somehow already gone. It was like the moment a Bosmer set foot into a forest, they just vanished into the shadows. He groaned and ran back towards Dead Man's Drink to find Karnwyr. At least he knew the direction Valdras was headed in.

* * *

"M'dame!" Rayya called as she walked through the door of Lakeview. "Someone's here."

Wyllin looked over. The moment she caught sight of Valdras, she stood up and ran towards him, nearly tackling him to the ground.

"Y'ffre's roots, Wyll!" Her brother laughed. Then he noticed the expression she wore when he pulled back. "Are you... Okay?"

"You're still alive."

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because she... She told me..." If Elenwen had sent people after Bishop, surely they would've went after Valdras as well, right? "I'll explain everything, but I just need a moment to process this first."

"Okay...?" He looked her over and frowned. "Gods, you look horrible. What even happened to you."

"That's what I'm trying to..." His sister let out a frustrated sigh. "Things happened, Val. I found out some stuff and it's..." She trailed off as she tried to find the right words.

He frowned. "Found out what? You were looking for information about Cyliel, right?"

"No, it's not about her. It's about the Thalmor..." She was already starting to shake. "Elenwen... She sent her men to find me. They brought me to a prison in the Reach. Gods... She..." Wyllin choked back a sob. "She said they went after Cormount."

"They what..?"

"They  _destroyed_ Cormount. They burnt it to the ground, and made sure there weren't any survivors. Val, our family is  _dead."_

He took a step back. "No, that's impossible. The Dominion wouldn't go after a village like Cormount, especially with the Nightgrove residing there. Even if they didn't, the Thalmor would risk starting a war in Grahtwood, where their own  _capital_ resides."

"I don't know why they'd ever think this was a good idea, but I  _need_ to see it for myself."

"No, you don't."

"What? Val, this is-"

"Not safe. Look, if what Elenwen said is true, then it's too much of a risk for you to go right now. You need to recover anyway. Gods, I've  _never_ seen you like this."

"It's not every damn day the Thalmor  _kidnap_ and  _torture_ me!"

"They did  _what?"_  A new voice chimed in, which had Wyllin freezing in place. All eyes turned towards the pissed off looking Nord as he entered the manor with Karnwyr trailing behind him.

"Bishop," She mumbled. Wait, Bishop?

"Yeah, it's me. Don't know why you're surprised." He walked towards her and frowned at the state she was in. "What the fuck did I just hear though? Kidnapped and tortured by the Thalmor?"

She completely ignored his questions and ran over to him, but stopped just when it seemed like she was going to tackle him like she did with her brother. Then she reached out and cupped both sides of his face. He could feel how badly she was shaking. What even happened to her? "This is... Really you? You're alive?"

"Yes, this is  _really_ me, and I  _am_ alive." He placed his hands over hers and pulled them away. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Elenwen... She said the Thalmor went after you. That they were going to..."

"Kill me?" He snorted and shook his head. "Well, if that's what they're trying to do, they haven't found me yet, or that bitch was lying. Why were you even talking to her?"

"Right..." Wyllin took a deep breath and tried to collect herself before she started explaining everything. "I came back from Cyrodiil and was heading to Falkreath from the Rift. She'd apparently sent her lackeys to track me down while I was gone, and they found me the night before I was going to head through the mountain pass. They knocked me out and brought me to some fort in the Reach. I probably wouldn't have escaped if it weren't for Synddriel."

Valdras frowned. "Synddriel?"

"They caught him as well and made the mistake of keeping us in the same place... I'll tell you later. Anyways, Elenwen's dead. I killed her, but... She said some things. At first, I wanted to believe they were just threats, but..." She choked back a sob. "She said they're all gone. Our  _entire_ village is gone. Burnt to ash."

"I still find that hard to believe." Her brother crossed his arms. "There's been rumors of purges, but to attack Archen Cormount? They'd be risking a war with all of Grahtwood, as I've already said."

"She said it was to get back at me... For everything I've done to the Dominion. To make an example out of me. It's all my..."

He sighed. "Wyll, don't go blaming yourself. Even  _if_ they've actually gone after Cormount, that couldn't have been the only reason for it."

"Maybe not, but... I don't know. I wouldn't put it past her."

Valdras pressed his lips into a hard line. "I don't think..."

"I don't know, okay? Maybe it was me, or maybe it was something else and she was just using it against me."

"Something else? You don't mean..."

"You know  _exactly_ what I mean, Val."

Bishop gave the two a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Valdras looked over at him and sighed. "It's... A long story, and not important right now."

The Nord was clearly displeased with that answer, but he knew there were more pressing matters. "Alright, fine." His attention turned back towards Wyllin. "So, let me get this straight. You  _killed_ the ambassador."

"Yes."

"You really are insane. They're going to hunt you down now."

"No, they won't... Or, well, I  _hope_ they won't. Synddriel's taking care of it."

"There's that name again," Valdras interrupted. "It sounds... Familiar."

"I wouldn't know how. He said he's from a completely different part of Valenwood. Anyways, he doesn't matter right now. Valdras, our village is  _dead."_

"Why are you trusting what the Dominion is telling you?" Bishop asked as he crossed his arms. "For all you know, it was just some scare tactic. It's not like they're known for their honesty. I mean, they  _clearly_  already lied about killing me."

"I don't know. I can't just... Ignore this."

"So you're going to run off again? Like you always do?"

"Bishop..."

"No. Listen, Wyllin, you  _never_ think about how this shit affects the other people in your life! You just do everything on a fucking whim! To Oblivion with the consequences! I spent over a month wondering if you were still alive, and so did your brother! Fuck, I lost hope for a while. Now you're ready to throw yourself into danger again?!"

"This is-"

"No. I'm done with your excuses. Come find me when you learn how your actions affect people. How they affect me..." He then turned and walked back out of the door. Karnwyr looked towards Wyllin and whimpered, but inevitably followed his brother when he was called.

"He's right." Her attentioned turned to Valdras when he spoke up. "Wyllin, this isn't fair to him. It's already dangerous to fall in love with a doom driven hero. You're continuously throwing yourself into harm's way. You should've seen how worried he was the entire time you were gone. What you've done has taken a heavy toll on him. He loves you, and I know you love him in return. So, for both of your sakes,  _please_ rethink your actions. For him, and me, and everyone who cares about you. Everyone who's left."

"I..." She knew that she couldn't find this. He had a point. "You're right. This whole situation is stupid. It wouldn't have happened if I just... Actually thought things through." She hugged her arms together. "The entire time I was out in Cyrodiil, and even in that prison, he was always on my mind. I could've died, and Elenwen could've covered it up, and nobody would've known what happened. I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." He glanced towards the door, and then back to her. "Go talk to him. Make things right. I'll head out for Valenwood and see what's going on, and then I'll send word about what I find. When I do, we can go from there." He pulled her into a brief hug. "You just focus on what's happening right now until then."

"Alright. Please be safe, Val. If what's happened is true, You're... You're the only family I have left."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure that I'll be the only family?"

It took her a moment to process that, but then she noticed the smirk on his face. She nudged him away and scoffed. "It's too early to think about that."

"Sure it is," He chuckled. "Anyways, I'll be safe, don't worry." Then he appeared to remember something. "Oh, and before you go, I think I remember how I know that name now."

"Synddriel?"

"Yeah. Half Altmer and half Bosmer, right?" When she nodded, he continued. "And he's from Valenwood? Malabal Tor?"

"That's what he told me."

"I believe I ran into a friend of his back in Cyrodiil. She recognized me due to trips I used to take to Silvenar with father. We always passed through her village, and even stayed at the inn there a few times. When she realized who I was, she confided in me about what the Dominion did to her home."

Wyllin furrowed her brow. "She's a survivor from one of their raids?"

He nodded. "It happened not too long ago. She was out on a hunting trip with two of her friends, one of them being a half Altmer named Synddriel. When they got back, they were greeted with their entire village up in flames. They managed to escape without the Thalmor finding them, but... What happened there still haunts that poor girl to this day. She wasn't even out of her teens."

"Gods... I never would've thought." In a way, it made sense. He was thoroughly against harming innocents, despite his occupation. Then something came to mind. "She mentioned having two friends? Did she tell you the other one's name?"

He thought about that for a moment. "I think so. It was something like... Malbern or Malbrin..."

"Malborn?"

"Yes, I think that's what it was. Why?"

"It's not really important, honestly. I just ran into a Malborn once and found out about his history. Anyway, I should probably go track down a certain Ranger."

"Alright, fine. I'm going to get ready to head out to Valenwood. Try to lay low for a while."

"I will, don't worry." She then headed outside to look for Bishop. Luckily, he hadn't gone far. She spotted him down the path that led to the main road, fiddling with something in his hands.

"Here to make more excuses?" He asked as he slipped whatever he was messing with in his pocket. It took her a few seconds to realize it was the token she'd given him. "Well?"

"I'm sorry."

He looked towards her, grunted, and then looked away again. "That's the best you got?"

"For the Gods' sakes..." She groaned. "I admit that I  _knew_ what I did was stupid and reckless, but I did it anyway. Sure, I found out what I wanted to know, but... Then I realized that it doesn't even matter. I need to put the past behind me and focus on what actually  _does_  matter." She blinked away the tears and struggled to keep her voice steady. "I've lost so much, and I know that I need to cherish what I have left. Cherish the fact I have you." She then looked away from him. "But if you don't want to stay, I won't blame you. Gods know I've fucked up so many times."

"What makes you think I wouldn't want to stay?" When she gave him a confused look in response, he laughed. "You're fucking insane. I've known that from the start. I mean, not long after we met, I saw you killing a dragon and absorbing its soul while you were soaked in its blood. I could've backed out then, when you literally  _gave_  me the option to, but I didn't. I've always wondered why, but I came to realize it's because, for the first time in forever, I finally felt safe with someone. Sure, you've ran off and did stupid things a few times, but... That really doesn't matter, compared to everything else you've done for me."

"Bishop-"

He held up a hand. "Let me finish. You are the  _first_ person I've known who hasn't tried to stab me in the back, figuratively or literally, in a long-ass while. I'd be damned if I ever gave that up. Just promise me that you'll at least  _try_ to be more careful."

She sighed and nodded her head. "I will. I love you, Bishop."

He gave her a half-smile and then pulled her into a hug, which she was quick to reciprocate. "I love you too, Wyll."

She pulled back and sighed deeply. "All of this just... Made me realize how I could've lost you. When I was traveling back to Falkreath, I spent the entire just thinking about what those assholes could've done, and I... I felt like I was dying on the inside."

He chuckled weakly. "Well, I'm right here, and still completely intact. No Thalmor to be seen. You don't need to worry about that anymore."

"I'm going to fucking worry about it anyway. This whole thing opened my eyes and..." She was starting to visibly shake again. "I swear to every single one of the damn Gods above that I'm  _never_ letting this happen again. I'm never going to leave you alone again. I just can't afford losing anyone else, especially you."

He paused for a moment, trying to take that in. When he cupped her cheek, she seemed to calm down a little, and her hand was soon placed over top of his. "Well, I guess that's one good thing to come out of this. You better stick to that promise, ladyship."

"Don't worry, I will." Both of her hands moved to his chest. Then she grabbed him by one of the straps on his jacket and pulled him down into a kiss. Her arms locked themselves around his shoulders when he picked her up off the ground, and her legs were wrapped around his waist soon after. They remained like that for a few moments. Bishop eventually had to set her back down, however, and she looked up at him and laughed nervously. "Sorry, I... I still need to remind myself that you're actually alive. Those images Elenwen put in my head were just... So real."

Images? Did he really want to know? Actually, no. He didn't. "Well, if that's what you need to make you remember, I'm definitely okay with it... Though I can think of a few other ways to help as well..." Gods, that smirk he gave her, and that look in his eyes... She missed him more than she realized.

She giggled at his comment, and then fell silent for a few seconds. "You know, after all this Thalmor bullshit, I think it might be best if I just... Hid away for a little while. With you, of course." A smile formed on her face as she looked up at the Nord in front of her. "Actually, I  _do_ know of somewhere we can go. It's a place where no one would bother us."

"Really now?"

"Mhmm. It's quiet, and peaceful, and not too far from here from what I recall."

"I see what you're getting at. You know, I've got a lot of pent up tension thanks to the stunts you've been pulling recently. It'd be nice to finally let go of some of that."

"Sounds like a plan, but I'd like to bathe first, and probably get some rest as well. Also, I need to say goodbye to my brother. He's heading out to investigate Valenwood, since I'm apparently not allowed to go." It was for the best. She  _knew_ that, but it still bothered her.

"You know, I can help you with that bath, sweetness."

"I bet you could. Let me go talk to Val first though. Then I'm all yours."

"I'll be waiting."

 


End file.
